


Why Are You In My House?

by Hyperopia



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Drama, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-02
Updated: 2016-01-29
Packaged: 2018-05-11 03:18:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 102,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5611954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hyperopia/pseuds/Hyperopia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry and Narcissa romance, several years after the battle for Hogwarts, Harry's marriage to Ginny is on the rocks, a chance meeting in Grimmauld place changes everything.</p><p>I own nothing, it's just a bit of fun M'Lud</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Why are you in my house?**

 

**Chapter One**

 

He had been standing there for what seemed like hours, a clock chimed somewhere deep in the house, it gave no hint of the time. The clutched tumbler of drink was untouched, the ice had long melted, he rested his head lightly on the grubby window, rarely did anyone pass by, and when they did, they never looked towards the building.

He hated this place, should hate it, but the more time spent here the more it became bearable, Kreacher had found a new lease of life, the house was beginning to regain some of its former glory, helped in part by the discovery that Regulus Black was a hero, with his name cleared and intervention from the elf, even Walburga Black's portrait ceased screaming obscenities whenever he passed, it seemed that Half-bloods were tolerable.

 

He swilled the amber liquid a few times to stir up the alcohol that would have long settled at the bottom of the glass, the drink was finished off in three measured gulps, he exhaled sharply, an involuntary response brought about from the strong alcohol burning a path to the young man's stomach. The light was fading as night drew in, he stretched briefly, reinvigorating the tired muscles throughout his body, then settled back against the window.

 

In the kitchen a fire was blazing, shadows danced along the floor and walls, the clock ticked and tocked closer to the next hour, the grand timepiece drowned out the steady dripping of the tap. The flames in the hearth double in size turning a vivid shade of green, a spinning figure appeared in the flames and stepped out into the kitchen.

A subtle wave of the newcomers hand and the lamps lining the room flared into life, the shadows fled, seeking new places to dance and twist in the uneven flickering of many lamps, the dark corners seemed darker. The figure dropped their hood and removed the light cloak, laying it over the back of a well used, wooden chair.

The woman was beautiful, she smoothed down her robes despite them being immaculate, red fingernails caught the light, her hair was tied up in a loose bun, expensive jewels twinkled in the light, like silvery tears dripping from each earlobe, she approached the mirror hanging on the wall, heels clicked sharply on the tiles, she straightened her necklace and smiled, ice blue eyes sparkled, she moistened her red lips with the tip of her tongue.

The kitchen was simple, akin to that found in a farmhouse, a huge range style oven occupied most of one wall, set back into an alcove, handsome wooden beams lined the ceiling, pots and pans hung from large iron hooks, the large dining table could easily accommodate 8 people, newspapers are scattered across it, there is a mug and the remains of a small meal for one.

The elegant woman clicked her fingers, with a loud pop an extraordinary creature appeared, and bowed down so low that his nose brushed against the tiled floor

 

“Mistress, a pleasure, how may Kreacher serve you?”

“Just a drink please”

 

With a click of long fingers a glass appeared, full of a clear liquid, on closer inspection, many colours can be seen within the fluid, the woman took the proffered wine glass and allowed herself a sip, her eyes flutter closed as she savoured the drink.

 

“Will that be all, Mistress?”

“Yes, thank you, Kreacher”

“The master is upstairs”

 

With that the odd creature disappeared with another loud pop. Glass firmly in hand she crossed the room and opened the door, after climbing a small, creaking flight of stairs, she exited into a long hallway, taking a slight decoy, she gazed at the sleeping figure of her Aunt, the severe looking woman's eyes flicked open, darting left and right before resting on the face in front of her, the picture smiled, the expression looked quite unnatural, as if it was not often used.

 

“My darling Niece, so good to see a member of the most noble and ancient house of Black”

“Hello Auntie, it's nice to be able to visit again” she smiled at the venerable old woman

“You're here to see the half-blood” she chewed and spat out the word like it had a bad taste “He is growing on me, he wants to restore the house to its former condition, Regulus would be pleased”

 

Taking leave of her Aunt, the woman glided over to the staircase and slowly climbed to the upper floors, she walked down a richly decorated hallway, the door at the end was ajar, breathing quietly and slowing her steps she crept to the opening, the room was unlit, the street lights outside cast harsh orange light through the room, the leaded windows splitting the beams, casting criss crossing black shadows.

The man stood as still as a statue, if he was aware of the others presence, he didn't show it, she can't help but watch, building up courage, the door opened fully with barely a whisper, thick carpet masked her foot falls, until they were standing only inches apart, she closed the gap, her arm snaked around the man's waist and when her palm rested flat against his stomach, she pulled them together, he didn't flinch at the unexpected touch, choosing to lean into it instead.

 

“You came” he says, a trace of surprise in his voice

“I always do, and you always seem surprised” she replied with amusement

“Will you be missed” the concern in his tone evident

“Not even a little bit, What about you?”

“No, being the head of the Department of Mysteries has its advantages, antisocial working hours and only a few people are privy to my comings and goings”

 

The woman sighed contentedly, gently turning the young man to face her, despite the messy hair and stubble, he was very handsome, the residue of the war remained, but in some ways he looked all the better for it, emerald green eyes meet ice blue.

 

“Do you feel at all guilty?” the question is asked quite innocently

“Must we do this every time?” she does her best to hide her irritation

“I'm sorry” he says sincerely “I guess I let the mood of this place get to me, I'm working on it, after all it was left to me and I think I could be happy here”

“What about Ginevra?”

“I can't carry on, it's different now, so much has changed, we aren't teenagers any more, I am planning on leaving her” the woman looked shocked

“What about you?”

“I hope you already know”

 

He removed his wand from the front pocket of well worn jeans, a quick flick lit the candelabra, the room suddenly bright, another flourish of the wood and the curtains drew closed, with his free hand he took the hand of the woman, linking fingers, and led her gently to the comfortable looking couch, he sat down and pulled the woman onto his lap, she let out a small shriek at the sensation of free falling.

Having recovered from the shock, she adjusted herself into a more relaxed position, back leaning against the arm, her eyes close as a warm hand caressed her cheek, he leaned toward the woman and placed a kiss on her lips, smiling at her young lover she recaptured his mouth with her own and deepened the kiss.

They finally broke apart, both sucked in deep breaths of air, a flush on their cheeks, touching foreheads, they gazed into each others eyes.

 

“I have missed you”

“I missed you too, have you eaten? I can get Kreacher to sort something out”

“No thanks, it's fine, I ate before I left” she kissed him lightly on his temple

“Let's turn in, its been a long day”

 

Sliding from beneath the woman's legs, he stood and stretched slightly, offering his hand, she gladly took it, he slipped his arm around her waist as they left the room, the lamps extinguish.

The lights along the hallways burned brightly, they slowly make their way up to the third floor, the first door belonged to Regulus and was now used solely by the house elf as some kind of shrine to the man, Harry didn't mind, the house was plenty big enough, upon reaching the fourth door, he opened it and allowed the woman to pass and enter.

 

“It looks fantastic, although it's a bit Gryffindor for my tastes”

“I hoped you'd like it, I had you in mind when I was making it fit for purpose, and the drapes and trimmings around the bed are green and silver”

“I love it”

 

The room looked positively regal, a deep red carpet covered the floor, the back wall was dominated by an impressive bed, the bedside tables, wardrobes, desk, dressing table and chairs were all fashioned from mahogany. She walked to the edge of the bed and sat down, it felt perfect, she watched the young man take off his clothes with hungry eyes, he's still skinny, but it's offset by well toned muscles, he walked over to the bathroom in just a pair of black briefs, opened the door and stepped inside.

 

Narcissa was happy, happier than she could remember, she felt young, she supposed she had Harry to thank for that, she hadn't planned on having an affair, or ever seeing any of the golden trio ever again, but things had a funny way of working themselves out. She thought back to the day that had started off the chain of events that led to this moment in time.

 

 

(Scene Break)

 

It had been a long day, rain ran in rivers down the ornate window as Narcissa stared out into the bleak grey, shadows moved outside despite the downpour, a full detail of Aurors. She was grateful, things could have been worse, Draco was safe and thanks to the Boy-Who-Lived-Again, this would all blow over in time.

Lucius, despite all his faults and in spite of his cowardice, had managed, possibly the bravest act of his life, he took full blame and would never leave Azkaban alive. The ministry had transferred all assets to Narcissa and Draco, she had enjoyed a stress free divorce and took back her family name, Draco decided to stay as a Malfoy, not through any loyalty to his father, just as preference.

 

Months and months of ministry meetings were weighing heavy, the manor repeatedly searched, but finally that part of the process had ended, the Aurors were a necessary evil while the remaining followers of the Dark Lord were rounded up, she had discovered at one of the many meetings that Potter had insisted on it.

Draco had forged a life of his own, met a lovely Pure-blooded witch and they had moved in together. Career wise, he had been recruited into the Department of Mysteries purely on his own merit, she was pleased, it gave her comfort, despite it being another debt she owed to the golden trio. Mostly, Narcissa was lonely, and the manor was a big place for one person, she thought about building bridges with Andromeda, but the grief she must be suffering was still far too raw.

 

Leaving her vantage point from the upper storey window, Narcissa headed down the grand staircase, her nails clicking gently against the ornate bannister, she crossed the hall, her heels clicked loudly and echoed down the corridors with each step, she pushed open the door in front of her and stepped into the room.

She mutters 'Incendio' and the chandelier bursts into life, the room is completely devoid of furniture, the plush carpet showed little to no sign of wear, this room was not frequented by anyone, the elves kept it clean as instructed by the Lady of the house.

She would retire here when she needed time to herself and her son and husband knew better than to disturb her, that wasn't a problem nowadays. All four walls were covered with an intricate tapestry, it almost looked alive, the central theme of this magical artwork was a grand tree, and unlike the identical rooms in the other Black properties, this tapestry was completely unharmed, every member of her family adorned the walls, she walked over to her part and gently ran her fingertips over her eldest sisters picture, noting that the day of her death had already added itself.

She snapped her fingers and with a loud pop a house elf appeared, the elf bowed and summoned food and drink for her mistress, and conjured a small table along with it, the tiny creature bowed again and vanished with another loud pop.

 

She let out a sigh, loosened the neck of her robe and collected the glass from the table, she resumes her slow walk around the room, her eyes fall on her Aunt's section, a scowl ruins her perfect features as she looks at the smiling and winking face of Sirius Black, they never got along, a Black as a Gryffindor, just thinking about it made her shudder, she tried to remember the last time she had seen that part of her family, it must have been as a very little girl, her Aunt was fanatical but much less stern than her own parents, all of her Aunt's rage was directed at the blood traitor, and to make her point all respectable Blacks were treated like royalty.

 

Malfoy manor didn't have a portrait of Walburga Black and Narcissa did all she could to avoid the majority of rooms containing the more vocal family members, she knew at some point she would have to face the portrait of Bellatrix that hung on the wall in one of the studies upstairs. She drained the glass and picked at a tasty morsel from the plate, she thought about how to alleviate the boredom and growing feeling of cabin fever, she wasn't a prisoner but having to go everywhere with an Auror in tow made it feel so.

 

With her mind made up, the elegant woman left the room and headed up to her chambers, she changed quickly into less extravagant clothing, choosing a simple looking blouse and a long pleated skirt, magically tying up her hair and pulling on a light hooded shawl, she left the bedroom and shut the door behind her, she turned left and walked two doors down, she tapped the lock with her wand and entered, the fire burned brightly in her study, she approached the fireplace and grabbed a handful of brightly coloured powder, the flames react instantly as the powder touched the flames, she stepped into the grate and in a clear voice uttered '12 Grimmauld Place'

 

Stepping out onto the tiled kitchen floor Narcissa was glad of her shawl, the place was cold and the air felt damp, dust lay thick on the floor and on every surface, lighting her wand caused a few creatures scuttle for the safety of some dark corner, the door leading from the room was ajar, she stepped through and climbed the stairs to the main hall. Carefully she lit the two oil lamps either side of a large black curtain, she pulled the curtain aside in one swift motion, the sleeping form of her Aunt woke instantly, fully prepared for the screaming, she is surprised when the severe looking witch cracks a smile.

 

“Narcissa, is that you?”

“Hello Auntie, it's been too long”

“How are you my child, what brings you here?”

“I...I don't know, who owns the house, is it safe here?”

“Sirius, the filthy blood traitor, but of course it's safe, you are a true daughter of the house of Black”

“I just want to look around Auntie”

“Of course dear, you are always welcome here, it's lovely seeing you after all these years, you look so much like your mother”

 

With that, the curtains close and the lamps die as if blown by a strong gust of wind, the hallway was plunged into darkness, Narcissa stood still and waited for her eyes to adjust, a whispered 'Lumos' and she climbed the stairs to the second floor, pausing for a moment, she glanced up the next flight of stairs, it seemed that a faint glow was coming from the upper floor, curiosity won the day and with wand gripped tightly she headed up to the third floor.

The lamps all along this hallway were lit, the carpet was clean, someone had been here, someone might still be here, before she could cast a detection spell, the door on the right opened and out came a very wet and very naked man, she raised her wand as the man turned to face her, she recognised him at once, her wand arm fell back down to her side, she couldn't help looking at the sight in front of her, a slight flush crept across her face.

 

“Who the hell are you and why are you in my house?” he shouted, she lowered her hood “Narcissa?”

“Potter, I, you, what?!?” realisation dawned and he made an attempt to hide his modesty behind his hands

“I had a bath and forgot to take a towel” she had to force herself to look him in the eyes, she replied with more than a hint of amusement

“You are a wizard, or did you forget?”

“Sometimes I like to do things the muggle way”

“Good job I'm no threat to you then, I can't imagine where you'd keep your wand” the boys face reddens further

“I'll get dressed and see you in the living room” he waited for her to descend the stairs and rapid footsteps can be heard followed by the shutting of a door

 

Walking along the familiar hallway she opened the door to the living room, this room had also been cleaned and made usable, the furniture looked clean and comfortable, a fire was blazing away merrily in the grate. She sat down on an elegant wing back chair and removed her hooded shawl, allowing herself to sit back and relax, after a few minutes the door opened and a dry and dressed Harry Potter walked in, he offered her a drink and a tray promptly appeared on the table, he settled into the chair opposite.

The uncomfortable silence stretched on and on, occasionally their eyes met, his thoughts returned to the night in the Forbidden forest when the woman opposite lied to the most powerful dark wizard who ever lived, she risked everything and saved him, he assumed the butterflies in his stomach and thundering heartbeat were all by-products of revisiting that memory.

The woman cleared her throat and he was brought out of his reverie, with his manners quickly remembered he smiled apologetically.

 

“How are you Miss Black?” his voice sounded slightly odd to him, damn nerves

“As well as can be expected and getting better each day”

“What brings you here?”

“I just wanted to get away from the manor, we were always welcome here”

“I see, your Aunt isn't as hostile towards me as she used to be”

“I thought you had a nice place with the Weasley girl” he shifted uncomfortably under her ice blue gaze

“Yeah, well that's none of your business” his hand strayed to his neck and rubbed it, he didn't meet the woman's piercing eyes.

“I wouldn't have imagined bumping into you here”

“Sirius left this place to me, it seemed a shame to leave it to wrack and ruin, it's growing on me”

 

The odd pair returned to their drinks, the atmosphere thick with tension, and neither of them knew how to ease it, after awhile Narcissa decided to leave, the boy, no, the young man, rose and offered to walk to the kitchen to see her off.

 

“You are welcome back any time Miss Black, I owe you my life”

“Thanks Potter, don't think I don't know who I owe mine to”

 

She smiled at him, it was warm and genuine, he offered her his hand and she gladly took it, the handshake went on several beats longer than was comfortable, both parties seemingly reluctant to let go, he cleared his throat and released the woman's hand. He walked over to a nearby shelf and returned with a small tin, he passed her the container of floo powder, she bade him farewell and disappeared in a roar of green flame.


	2. Chapter Two

Narcissa woke early the next day, she lay in bed trying to drag out the morning. Having nothing planned added to her lethargy, in an uncharacteristically childish act she violently thrashed about under the covers out of sheer exasperation, defeated she got out of her bed and went for a shower, feeling invigorated she dressed quickly and simply and headed out into the vast house.

Her first stop was the library, it was a depressing sight that made her heart ache, the ministry had been through here like a force ten hurricane, anything containing any mention of dark arts had been removed, some of them she could understand, others she mourned, yes they had contained questionable subjects, but they were ancient and had been in her family for generations.

 

Wandering through the shelves she would stop occasionally and tidy up some of the piles, she could have sorted it out in an instant but the thought of then having to find another task to occupy her mind did not appeal.

As she tidied she thought back to the slightly awkward, albeit, short trip to her Aunt's house, talking to Potter made her realise just how much she needed alternative human contact, figuring that if he was choosing to stay in that old house, all was not well at home with the ginger weasel, and that had piqued her interest.

 

The next day was pretty much the same, the fierce determination to stay busy helped fend off the cabin fever. An owl caused a brief distraction, apparently the ministry no longer had any need for her, they were satisfied that she wasn't a threat, but might call on her should anything come up, she wondered if Potter had anything to do with it, that thought brought back the unwelcome weight of loneliness, yes there were several Aurors around, but they were only bothered about their duty. At the beginning she even tried to play the hostess, offering two young men a drink, she stopped doing this soon after because, out the corner of her eye, she saw them checking their drinks for any sign of tampering, she said nothing at the time but felt hurt by it later.

 

On the fourth day, the weather broke, gone were the grey clouds with their never ending supply of rain, there was blue sky, white clouds and the sun was giving its best. She tracked down the Auror in charge and requested a trip to Diagon Alley, eventually they were ready to leave, Narcissa was doing her best to keep her anger in check, she failed to see how it could possibly take an hour for them to be ready to leave.

They Flooed into the Leaky Cauldron, she held her head high as the patrons turned to see who had entered, the volume of chatter dropped to conspiratorial whispers, a few furtive glances were shot her way, nothing could touch Narcissa, she wore her status like the thickest dragon hide.

Stepping into the alley behind the pub, muted chatter from Diagon Alley could be heard, she tapped the bricks and stood back as the archway formed and strode forwards, heels clicking on the uneven cobbles.

 

Life had returned here for the most part, Gringotts looked like nothing had ever happened, Ollivander's had reopened, Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlour was also open, there wasn't a single destroyed store front to be seen, her eyes travelled to the Weasel twins' joke shop, it was such an eye sore, but as only one of them survived the war, part of her was glad to see it still going.

She spent a few hours browsing but not buying, as she contemplated calling it a day, a group of witches passed and made no effort to mask their hate towards her, she gripped her wand tightly inside her robes, the Aurors intervened and she conceded that it was indeed time to return home.

 

Almost a week later, the often austere lady was desperate for a reason to get out, she thought about Potter's offer, but needed a good reason to act upon it. Sitting in the library, early evening was approaching, she had a large book open in front of her but was looking straight through the page, she didn't even know what the book was, it was picked up at random and the page was selected in a similar fashion.

One word jumped off the page 'Elf' without much thought the blonde sat up straight and called one word into the empty room 'Kreacher' with a loud pop he appeared.

 

“Mistress, what can Kreacher do for you?” She thought for a moment before responding

“Where is Potter?”

“The young master is at home miss”

“Home with the ginger weasel?”

“No mistress, the young master is at home, I don't know where the blood-traitor is”

 

She thought hard about what to ask the elf, he was surprisingly free with information regarding the wizard he was now bound to.

 

“Has he eaten?”

“No, Kreacher worries about his master”

“Why are you telling me all this Kreacher?”

“The Master spoke to Kreacher after you left Mistress, he was very adamant that Kreacher was to obey Mistress Black”

“In that case Kreacher, go to my kitchens, prepare some food and bring it home, I will go on ahead, perhaps some company will help his appetite, I know it'll do wonders for me”

 

The elf bowed to the floor before he disaparated, Narcissa headed to the ornate mirror on the wall and fixed her hair with a few deft wand movements, she always looked immaculate and had a knack of making it look effortless, she turned on her heel and strode over to the fire place, seconds later she stepped out into the kitchen of 12 Grimmauld Place.

She dusted herself down and set off into the house to track down Potter, slipping comfortably into the role of hostess, she headed straight up to the living room, he was sat in front of the fire reading the paper, it fell limp as he spotted the woman stood in the doorway, she was a fine example of pure-blood heritage, haughty and arrogant, she didn't want to appear unapproachable, but she needed to hide her vulnerability and lonliness, at least for now.

 

“Evening Mr Potter, I hoped you would be willing to have dinner with me”

“Miss Black, an unexpected pleasure, dinner would be great, I hadn't even thought about it”

“Excellent! I requested that Kreacher enlist the help of some of my elves”

“Um, great, do the Aurors know you've left?”

“No, and they won't notice I've gone, I think I scare them”

 

Just as she was about to admonish the man for the smile creeping onto his face, Kreacher appeared and summoned them to dinner. The kitchen looked so much better that when she last visited, the place had been well cleaned, the pots and pans shone in the muted light of the fire, the large table now looked like a well used antique, she set herself down at the table, Harry sat opposite and poured them each a glass of wine, they ate in silence, occasionally praising the elves for a damn fine meal.

Harry hadn't eaten properly for the longest time, he wasn't sure what to make of the woman opposite, but it was miles better than eating a meal alone. He refilled the wine glasses for a third time, having both agreed that they couldn't possibly eat any more, the table clears, leaving the 2 glasses and the remains of the bottle.

 

Harry asked if Narcissa had ever played any card games, she just shook her head, he got up from the table and retrieved a pack from one of the drawers, he knew Sirius kept a deck, it was something to do when he was stuck in the house with only a few passing Order members for company, shaking off a touch of melancholy, he returned to his seat.

Narcissa was a fast learner and poker is the game of choice, in less than an hour she had it down and Harry was equally impressed and jealous of her poker face, several hands into another game he had taken to sitting on his free hand, its tendency to stray up to the back of his neck gave him away all the time, he should have known better than challenging the ice queen to a game that could be won by the opponents ability to keep a straight face.

He threw his cards down in disgust, and held his hands up in surrender, he smiled at the woman, he wasn't a sore loser, but there were only so many crushing defeats one person could take before all the fun was sucked from it, had they been playing for cash, Harry would have had to hand over the key to his vault at Gringotts.

 

“Sorry for barging in the last time” she smiled at the young man opposite, he goes a little red

“It's fine”

“So, Why are you back here Potter? Trouble at home?” he clenched his jaw and in the dim light he looked tired and older than his years, she felt a strong surge of sympathy for him.

“I just, it's not, I'm not ready to talk about it, sorry”

“Sorry Potter, if you ever want to talk, I'll listen” he nodded but didn't meet her eyes

 

Unsure of what to do or say but feeling the need to comfort the man, she reached across the table and gently squeezed his shoulder and that seemed to do the trick. She retracted her hand and he lifted his head, the grateful smile changed the way he looked dramatically, the ice queen melted a tiny amount and returned the smile.

 

“I suppose I better get back, wouldn't want Kingley's minions getting in to trouble”

“Thanks for the food and company, remind me never to play you at cards ever again”

“It was most pleasant Potter, this should keep me sane for a while longer”

“We should do this again sometime” she nodded and with a last, lingering look, stepped back through the fire.

 

She stepped out of the flames back into her library, she adjusted her clothing and stood facing the mantle, a small cough from behind startled her and she span round, coming face to face with a very angry looking Auror.

 

“Miss Black, may I ask where you have been?”

“I have just spent a few hours in the company of Harry Potter”

“He will confirm this will he miss?” she didn't care for this obnoxious man's tone, she stood to one side allowing him access to the fire.

 

“By all means contact him, don't mind me” she narrowed her eyes at the man and he quailed slightly under her intense gaze

 

Narcissa walked into the middle of the room leaving the irritating little jobsworth to check she wasn't lying, she can hear him talking but not what's being said, another small cough from behind her and she turned to face the man once more, blue eyes blazed dangerously, she enjoyed the feeling of satisfaction as the odious little twerp squirmed under her cold gaze.

 

“Terribly sorry about the misunderstanding Miss, Mr Potter says that you are free to travel to his place of residence whenever you like Ma'am”

“Very well, then I bid you goodnight” she turned on her heel and marched from the room, had she looked back, she would have seen the man visibly sag before he mopped his brow with a tatty looking handkerchief.

 

Back in the sanctuary of her room, she sat at the dressing table, she opened a few drawers and pulled out a quill, parchment and ink pot, for the next few minutes not a sound could be heard except for the scritch and scratch of the quill, satisfied with the letter, she folded it neatly, sealed it with wax and summoned an elf to post it.

She sheds her clothes, moves to a chest of drawers and after a quick rummage, she selected a demure silver silk nightdress, shivering slightly as the cool material clung to warm skin, the deep pile carpet always felt nice on her bare feet, she headed into the bathroom and returned after a short time. She threw back the covers and climbed into bed, once the lights were out and she had made herself comfortable, she let out a sigh, by merlin, she despised sleeping alone.

 

After what had been, arguably the best nights sleep in living memory, she was annoyed to be roused in such an unforgiving manner, a persistent screeching and clawing was coming from the large bay window, leaving the warm cocoon of her bed, she summoned a robe before throwing open the curtains. Severe yellow eyes stared into surprised blues, the Eagle Owl was a beautiful, majestic sight, she hurriedly opened the window, the bird glided to a perch on the opposite side of the room, Narcissa collected some owl treats on her way over, feeding the owl, who hooted softly in appreciation, she carefully removed the package from its offered leg.

The bird stretched out its impressive wing span with a rustle of feathers and in one fluid movement alighted from the perch and sped away through the open window. Narcissa poked the parcel with her wand and it returned to its original size, carefully she opened the top of the parcel 'Perfect!'

 

After getting dressed she flitted from room to room, there was no clear goal in mind, just keeping busy, lost in thought her hand gripped the next door handle, as she moved to open the door a sweet voice called out her name, frozen in place with the handle part way down, she gently released the handle and stepped slowly away from the door, Bella's distinctive cackle echoed through the hallway, with her heart in her mouth and breath coming in desperate gasps, she fled to the main hall, with jangling nerves she walked straight into the library, the bright, airy room does much to calm her, the sudden appearance of Kreacher does exactly the opposite.

She brought her hand up to her chest and splayed her fingers over her thumping heart, a few deep breaths and she was adequately calm, she faced the elf, head tilted questioningly, the creature bowed deep before talking.

 

“The young Master was wondering if Mistress would care to join him for dinner tonight”

“Tell him it will be my pleasure” inwardly she cringed at the eagerness in her voice and hoped the elf wouldn't notice.

 

Kreacher took his leave, feeling strangely elated, Narcissa grabbed a book and settled into her favourite chair next to the fire, covering her bare feet with her long robes, she struggled to get engrossed in the weighty tome, her mind wandered constantly, after a few hours she gave it up as a bad job and took herself off the liquor cabinet, she spent her time carefully selecting a few choice bottles, it seemed only fair to provide after dinner drinks.

As late afternoon came round she went to get ready, deciding on tying her hair into an elaborate French plait, the issue of what to wear was a lot more difficult than she had imagined, she wanted to look alluring, but not desperate, and most of all, avoid looking like a mother figure at all costs, playing it safe, she chose a figure hugging dress that matched her eyes, a small amount to make-up was applied, just to highlight certain aspects of her face, she was always told that she was blessed with her looks, staring in the mirror, she was pleased with the result.

She picked up Potter's thank you present and headed for the fire, only stopping briefly to instruct an elf to deliver the selected drinks to the living room cabinet in Grimmauld Place.

 

The kitchen was warm, mouth watering smells were coming from the oven, surprisingly, Harry was in charge of the cooking, he turned to greet her, his eyes widen at the sight.

 

“Wow, you look great” zero to awkward in less than a second, he cleared his throat “Make yourself at home Miss Black, Kreacher has been helping me, but I wanted the effort to be mine”

“Narcissa”

“What? I mean excuse me” his hand moved to his neck, the woman just smiled politely at him

“You may call me Narcissa, if that's OK Harry”

“Oh, Yes yes” his face splits with his boyish grin, Narcissa felt an unfamiliar flutter in her stomach

 

He turned back to the stove and she sat at the table idly thumbing through the most recent copy of the Daily Prophet, nothing caught her eye, the paper had gone downhill during the run up to the war and after that hardly anyone trusted it. She's dragged away from the gossip columns and Agony Witch help page by the appearance of plates and cutlery.

Dinner was a pleasant affair, small talk flowed easily between mouthfuls, several times she caught him looking over, his eyes looked a little darker, no need to worry about being seen as a mother substitute after all, once dinner was over, it was Harry who suggested heading up to the living room.

 

She settled down on a chair by the fire, legs tucked beneath her, she rested her head on her hand as Harry retrieved glasses and drinks from the cupboard. Over the next few hours they chatted about growing up, Harry recounted his time with the Dursley's and discovering magic, she listened intently, hanging on every word, his muggle upbringing equally as interesting as her pure-blooded one.

 

An unspoken rule kept all talk of the war off the table, as the drinks flowed and the talk of Hogwarts escapades increased along with the laughter, the clock struck midnight, she uncurled herself from the chair, shook the pins and needles out of her legs, as she moved to stand she staggered, drunk, a warm arm encircled her waist, green eyes laced with concern.

 

“Stay, please”

“I can make it home” her voice was steady, the same could not be said for her legs

“It's OK, you can have my room, I'll even make you breakfast”

”How can I argue with an offer like that, please lead on Mr. Potter”

 

The unsteady duo made it slowly up the stairs and along the corridor, she held the wall for support and the bedroom door creaked open, the room is sparsely decorated but clean.

 

“Thanks, such a gentleman”

 

She leaned forward and kissed him gently on the cheek, he stood stock still, mouth open, he held his cheek like he'd just been slapped, the door swung closed and clicked shut, leaving the stunned man standing alone in the hallway

 

“Still sleeping alone” she chuckled “I suppose it could be worse.”


	3. Chapter Three

Rising early and feeling surprisingly refreshed, she moved cautiously, anticipating post alcoholic punishment that never seemed to manifest, unwilling to question her immense good fortune, she dressed, freshening herself and her clothes with a little bit of wand work, taking care of the rest in the adjoining bathroom. Returning to the bedroom she sat on the bed and called for Kreacher, who promptly retrieved the package she had brought with her from downstairs, the room smelled of him, it's pleasant, she ordered the elf to leave the room as it is, secretly hoping that when Potter next slept in his bed, he'd smell her perfume.

Package in hand she left the room and headed to the second floor, she searched her memories for the layout of her Aunt's house, walking towards the living room, she stopped, and opened a door seemingly on a whim, stepping inside, the door is gently closed. The room hadn't been used in years by the look of it, cobwebs and dust fought for supremacy, the wallpaper was faded and peeling, she spent the next hour cleaning and repairing.

She looked at her handiwork, she was pleased, the room was unrecognisable, the plush carpet was actually coloured red, all the debris had been removed leaving the perfect space for her gift. Kneeling down she carefully removed the precious bundle, sometime later she left the room smiling to herself, she walked quietly into the living room. The grey light of the approaching dawn lightened the room enough to see, Harry was asleep on the sofa still wearing his glasses, she shook her head and removed them, placing them on the table, he didn't even fetch himself a blanket, or conjure one, the room is far from cold but still, summoning a blanket she covered him over and settled into the nearby chair.

 

She took a small amount of pleasure as she watched the young man sleep, his untameable hair, the famous scar, almost faded now. He stirred but it was not a precursor to waking, his eyes moved rapidly under closed lids, Narcissa leant closer, ready to wake him and offer comfort if what she suspects to be a nightmare took hold. He was talking softly, she could only make out a few words, he was back in the Forbidden Forest on the night she saved him.

Almost as soon as it began, it was over, he woke up breathing heavily, his hands reached for his face and then started searching for his missing glasses, she made her presence known as softly as possible and handed them to him.

 

“I hope I didn't startle you”

“No, I'm fine, just woke up with a start, was disorientated”

 

He rubbed his eyes hard with his hands, and ran them through his hair to no avail, he sat up and collected his wand, with a swish the curtains swung open and the grey dawn light illuminated the room, they simultaneously shielded their eyes until they adjusted to the sudden brightness.

 

“Sorry” he mumbled

“You were having a bad dream, you were back in the forest”

“I said something?” embarrassment and shame enter his voice

“You mentioned my sister, and here I was, hoping it was my name you whispered into the dark” she winked at him “Good job it was a nightmare or I'd feel most put out” she sat back and folded her arms across her chest.

 

For a brief moment she considered holding back on the slightly flirtatious comment, but seeing the crooked grin on his face made it totally worth it, a conversation like that could only benefit from the mood being lightened.

 

“It's a recurring dream but it never seems to be the same, I remember something different each time, sometimes it's just a sound, other times it's conversations. I recalled your sister, it sounded like she was trying to help her Lord, he just brushed her aside, I couldn't see, but it sounded like she hit the deck” Narcissa just nodded “I fully expected it to be her who would check me for signs of life, and then it was you, they completely underestimated you”

 

He looked at her with blazing green eyes, she met his gaze and smiled, she stood up and held out her hand to him, after watching him stare at her hand for several moments she felt compelled to offer some vocal encouragement.

 

“I won't bite, I have something to show you”

“What?”

“I'm not going to ruin the surprise, so take my hand, and close your eyes”

 

Despite the look of complete surprise and his eyebrows disappearing into his fringe he did as he was told, she carefully led him a short way down the hall and into the room she prepared earlier, she closed the door and manoeuvred him into the centre, her hands rested gently on his shoulders, she leant close to his ear, clearly enjoying this moment of power, she told him to open his eyes.

 

“Say something” his hand fumbled for hers and the gesture was returned “I hope you like it”

 

He just nodded his head. She couldn't have hoped for a better response.

 

“How did you manage this?” his voice came out as barely a whisper

“I know a lot of people and to some my name still carries weight, it's a small token of my thanks, and if you ever wanted to research your family, you now have all the names and dates you'll ever need, and should you extend your family, your tree will grow too”

 

He walked around the room, looking at the names and faces, lingering on them for mere moments until he found the spot his parents occupied, Narcissa slipped back behind her mask, just in case, it was always going to be emotional, he wouldn't want to break down in front of her and she already felt like she was witnessing something deeply personal.

Distracted by her own thoughts she didn't notice him approach, the embrace took her completely by surprise, her mask shattered, body rigid, with her mind rapidly gaining traction with the unexpected turn of events she allowed herself to relax and hugged back, breaking apart after a time, no words were said, there was no need.

 

Good to his word, Harry made a very passable breakfast, and was called into work, he apologised profusely for having to leave but duty called, somewhat reluctantly, Narcissa headed home.

 

Back at the manor she made a point to make herself known to the nearest Auror, only to be met with complete indifference. Collecting the pile of mail, she made her way through the main hall to the library, she settled herself at a small writing desk and proceeded to check through the letters, dismissing most of it as a waste of her time she recognised the handwriting on one piece, cracking open the wax seal, she is met with the familiar scrawl of her son.

The letter was largely vague, she ascertained that he was currently out of the country doing something for the Department of Mysteries, she had managed to extract some information from him, he was very good at finding items of great interest to the Ministry. The rest of the letter was personal, hoping she was well, and all the latest news from his own life, she read it several times.

 

After writing a suitable letter in reply she handed it off to an elf and threw the rest into the fire, she wondered what Draco would make of her burgeoning friendship with one Harry Potter, she'd cross that bridge when she came to it, for now it was her secret and she wasn't in a sharing mood.

As the weather was mild she took herself out into the vast grounds surrounding the manor, with no goal in mind she wandered aimlessly at first, then at the garden's wildest edges, she picked flowers and herbs, anything useful to replenish a few of her most used potions.

 

Looking up at the sky, grey clouds were rolling in from the west, a thin veil of rain could be seen on the horizon, not wanting to be caught out in it she returned to the house. In a side room next to the house's huge kitchen she skilfully shredded and cut everything down and laid them all out to dry, she washed her hands in the kitchen and fixed herself a little something to eat.

It wasn't late but Narcissa headed up to her room, she treated herself to a luxurious bath and stayed in the hot perfumed water long after her fingers had pruned, wrapped in a towel she re-entered her bedroom vigorously rubbing her hair dry, as she passed the bed her eyes fell upon a square of parchment resting neatly on her pillow

 

Obviously it had been placed there by an elf but she still approached it with caution, not knowing what to expect, or perhaps unwilling to get her hopes up. She unfolded it with slightly shaking fingers.

 

_Narcissa,_

_I hope I haven't disturbed you, I told Kreacher to be discreet, I hoped you'd still be awake and if you wanted to join me, I'd like that very much._

 

_Harry_

 

There was no denying the warm feeling radiating through her, slightly flustered, she placed the note on her dresser and grabbed her wand to speed up the drying process, if anyone who knew her well could see her now, they wouldn't recognise her, cold, calm and collected, she was none of those things and the masks she wore with such ease, all thrown right out of the window. She crossed to the chest of drawers and picked out a nice set of underwear, nothing too outrageous, unsuccessfully keeping her expectations for the evening low, she reasoned that it was better to wear them and not need them, than need them and not wear them. A form flattering blouse and skirt would do, after all she was visiting on a moments notice, and her appearance would do well to reflect that.

 

Stepping out into the familiar kitchen the house seemed eerily quiet, doubt crept in, she shook it off as she climbed the stairs, a faint glow from the living room at the end of the hall removed anything lingering, approaching the door she could see a figure standing and staring out of the window, she pushed the door and stood in the frame waiting to be noticed, she needed to see his reaction to her being there.

 

“You came” he sounded surprised, he grinned broadly and she smiled in spite of herself

“Well you did invite me”

“I know but it was getting late, I thought you might have turned in” he shrugged

“I was thinking about it, you just caught me”

 

The atmosphere had changed, they could both feel it, he fixed her a drink, Narcissa could still feel his nervousness, if anything developed she would happily take the lead, she thanked him for the drink and pressed him for information on Draco's assignment, it was all for nothing, she expected nothing less, he was suitably apologetic, she made it clear that it was perfectly fine, her knowledge of the inner workings of the Ministry from Lucius' dealings had given her enough insight over the years

 

As the hour grew late and the conversation began to wind down, he made a clumsy segue into the subject of bedtime, his bedroom was still available for her, he had made a guest room available for his own needs, she nodded and smiled as they walked up to the top floor, when they reached his door Narcissa decided it was now or never, she grabbed his hands and pulled him close.

 

“Stay with me Potter” she purred the words into his ear “Please”

 

She placed a kiss on his cheek, her lipstick left a mark, she moved back to look into his eyes, there was a touch of fear in those emerald eyes, but he nodded his head, she let go of the breath she wasn't aware of holding, it seemed the feeling was mutual, he exhaled sharply. She led him to the next door, keeping contact all the while, she opened the door with one hand.

 

She stepped through and pulled Harry along after her, he stumbled, they collided and fell back against the door clinging to one another. Never one to pass up on an opportunity, and considering the fact their bodies were already pressed tightly together, she crashed her lips onto his, not caring about the rough stubble against her soft skin, she was in control, but he responded willingly, she deepened the kiss, breaking away only when oxygen became a very real need.

 

The initial rush began to wear off, it occurred to Narcissa that Lucius was the only man to have seen her naked, she felt an icy drop of fear run down her spine, as if her fears were spoken out loud, Harry kissed her, red lips parted as his fingers teased through her long blonde hair, her fears melted away as hot lips moved on to her neck, her hands travelled up his warm back, one to pull him close, the other continued to the back of his head, she gripped his black locks. After a time, she moved away and disrobed, the soft light danced on her pale skin, she self consciously covered her chest with her arm. He clumsily pulled his shirt and t-shirt over his head, the shadows made the contours of his muscles more pronounced, fully undressed, they climbed into bed.

 

Narcissa continued to lead, he was hesitant but she welcomed his touch, and he slowly found his confidence, their breathing was heavy, her heart was thundering, they clung to one another, he was tender and attentive to her needs, it was frantic, greedy and desperate one minute, slow and passionate the next. The inevitable battle for dominance didn't surface, the need and the want were completely mutual, both savoured what the other had to offer, neither had experienced anything like it, their foreheads touched, their eyes locked together adding to the intensity, oaths were uttered from barely moving lips, promises whispered, bodies settling, arms wrapped tight around each other, she relaxed her grip first, she wanted to be held, they shifted into a position of comfort and he was only too happy to oblige. Sleep found the pair swiftly, the lamps eventually went out on their own.

 

Narcissa woke as if disturbed by something, she reached over, fingers searching for contact, when the search became fruitless she couldn't help but open tired eyes, a dim light shone from a door slightly ajar, the sound of running water, muted, was coming from beyond, his side of the bed was still warm, and she unashamedly rolled into it, she felt his residual warmth on her skin, having cast off all her protective armour the night before, she would allow herself this blatant show of weakness, in a way it showed the power he had over her at that moment, possibly forever, her true feelings were laid bare, she felt that he would never use it against her and dared to believe that his feelings were just as strong.

 

The brightness of the light intensified for just a few seconds before the darkness returned, readying herself for his return and making sure he had to fight for that privilege, she's disappointed to get a kiss on the forehead and a whispered apology, apparently the ministry deems itself far more worthy of his time than her, huffing her displeasure, he chuckled quietly, his minty breath close to her cheek, followed by a proper goodbye kiss, which she supposed would have to do. She made herself comfortable and drifted back off to sleep.


	4. Chapter Four

Sometime later, when morning had long broken and the bright light from outside could no longer be ignored, Narcissa woke up, she stretched, the action was elegant and catlike, she smiled at each muscle twinge, there were also a few marks, she traced across them with cool fingertips. She considered bathing but wasn't ready to wash away all of what had happened the previous night, instead she got dressed, she wore a champagne coloured silk blouse, if she were to be spending the day in the company of a certain someone, she may have considered wearing nothing else with it, the garment came half way down her thighs, leaving plenty of leg on show, denied an audience she opted just to wear her skirt again.

 

On her way down to the kitchen she stopped off in Harry's tapestry room, she examined the section he occupied, seemingly satisfied with what she saw, she continued on down to the kitchen. Kreacher was only too happy to provide Mistress Black with breakfast, while she ate Kreacher was tasked with getting hold of the latest edition of the Daily Prophet.

Having finished her breakfast she dabbed the crumbs away from the corners of her mouth with a napkin and sat back in her chair, in no time the familiar pop, signalled the reappearance of the house elf, he passed Narcissa the paper and shuffled around the kitchen to make his Mistress a drink, after he was satisfied she had been catered for, he left.

The paper, as expected, was filled with rumour, gossip and sensationalism, she sipped her drink and flicked through to the Agony Witch section, absorbed in stranger's tales of woe she didn't hear the front door open, she did hear the screamed protests of Walburga Black.

 

“Blood-Traitor, Filth, Scum, defiling the house of my forebears, traitorous blood is no better than mudblood”

 

The noise came to an abrupt end, a familiar sounding voice followed, “Bloody awful old hag.”

Narcissa sat herself up straight, interlocked fingers rested against her lips, her steely blue gaze on the kitchen door, quietly awaiting the arrival of the newcomer, she didn't have to wait long for at that moment the door burst open and in stepped a flustered looking Ginny Weasley.

She stopped dead in her tracks, Narcissa's face remained completely impassive and she met the young witch's eye. The colour drained from the red headed girl's face, there was a hint of fear in her eyes, once the initial surprise faded it was quickly replace with anger.

 

“Narcissa?!? What the hell are you doing in Harry's house?” she reached for her wand and pointed it at the older witch.

“That's Miss Black to you, girl” the corner of her mouth curled up into a sneer “This happens to be the home of my Aunt, you know who she is, I believe you disrespected her on your way in”

“Sirius left the house to Harry, your Aunt is just a picture on the wall”

“That's as maybe, but I have every right to be here, I am a Black”

“Where is Harry?”

“I have no idea, work perhaps, you're his wife, don't you know? If he were mine, I'd keep better track of him”

“Well he's not yours, and I don't have to explain myself to the likes of you”

 

Narcissa picked up her mug and smirked at the contents. During this pause in the conversation Ginny attempted to summon Kreacher, when no answer was forthcoming, she stormed across the kitchen to check in his cupboard, the blonde watched this display with much amusement, and wondered why the ginger didn't know that Kreacher now resided in Regulus' old room, how long have there been problems at home she wondered.

She fixed the irritating girl with a cool blue stare, set her cup down and called on Kreacher, he appeared with a small pop, the Weasley girl shot daggers at the older witch before turning her back to her and addressing the elf.

 

“Kreacher where is Harry?”

“The Master was called to the ministry”

“Why is she here?” she jerked her head in Narcissa's direction, the blonde held her breath

“Mistress Black is visiting her Aunt, the young Master is happy for her to do so, she is a daughter of the ancient and most noble house of Black”

“Thank you Kreacher” the elf gave her a look of barely concealed contempt and disappeared

 

She turned back to the woman sitting at the table, she was smiling at the girl, her head was tilted a little to the side like an animal with an inquisitive nature, and though her face was completely impassive, it did little to change the mood of the angry witch.

 

“Have a seat Miss Weasley”

“It's Mrs Potter” she spat the words out, Narcissa just continued to sit there, calm and composed

“Trouble at home? Do you want to talk about it?” the girl's wand arm visibly tensed

“There is no trouble at home, I have no idea where you get that impression”

“Yet you have no idea where your husband is, and by the look of this place, he spends a fair amount of time here, even my Aunt is warming to him” she chuckled at the last part

“It's none of your business” she hissed “He wanted to fix it up, and it's nice having property in London” she folded her arms across her chest and her jaw was clamped tight as she fought to contain her emotions.

 

A few moments pass, Narcissa finished her drink, all the while Ginny's light brown eyes never left the older witch, even for a second, when it became obvious that Narcissa wasn't going to say anything further, the red head broke the silence.

 

“So you'll be leaving then”

“Is that a question?”

“No”

“Then I suppose I shall leave, I just need to collect a few things, then I will be on my way Miss Weasley”

“What things?”

“I don't care for your tone, not that it concerns you, but I want my cloak and a few items of clothing” the look on the ginger girls face was a picture

“Y-y-you stayed the night?”

“Yes, Potter was quite the gentleman, he gave me the use of his room”

“Where did Harry sleep?” Narcissa could hear the rising panic in the girls voice

“No idea, on the living room sofa perhaps, a spare room, he didn't inform me”

 

Narcissa stood, drawing herself up to her full height, the screech of the chair on the tiles made Ginny jump. She strode from the room without so much as a glance in the other woman's direction. Reaching the first floor landing she summoned Kreacher, making it very clear that the blood traitor wasn't allowed inside Harry's tapestry room under any circumstance, the elf was only too happy to obey, satisfied, she continued to the bedroom, she collected a few things, and swept from the room.

Back down in the kitchen, she helped herself to floo powder and left Grimmauld place with light brown eyes burning into her back.

 

Stepping out of the roaring green flames the haughty blonde felt surprisingly calm, the encounter with the ginger weasel had made her anger flare, but there was no way she would let it ruin her good mood and the Lady of the manor had a lot to be happy about.

Walking out of the library she went straight into her tapestry room, she found her own place and studied the magic material up close, she found whatever it was she was looking for, with a triumphant look on her face she left the room, the door clicked shut after her.

 

She didn't hear anything from Harry for the rest of the day and in the loneliness and solitude of the huge manor her mind had become her worst enemy, she wondered at first, if the ginger weasel had managed to worm her way back into his heart, or perhaps their intimate encounter was a one off, a mere blip in the midst of this rocky patch in his marriage, after all, marriages took effort from both sides.

Having absolutely no idea what the trouble in their relationship actually was, didn't help her fight off the creeping doubt, she felt foolish and embarrassment burned on her cheeks, she took herself off to a spacious room at the back of the manor, it had been converted into a training room of sorts, she spent a few hours venting her unwanted emotions.

Breathing heavily, brow glistening with sweat, she surveyed the destruction, training dummies lay strewn around the space, scorched, torn, in pieces burn marks criss crossed parts of the walls and giant gouged tracks, like dragon claw marks, marked the wood floor and ceiling.

 

She considered leaving the mess for the house elves, but she had always found a certain serenity in the act of cleaning up after a workout, gripping her wand, her eyes drift closed, she walked around the room, her lips moved with silent incantations, after two laps of the room everything was back as it was, she briefly admired her work and left the room.

Back in her bedroom she removed her sweaty robes, scooping her hair back behind her shoulders and dislodging some rogue strands still clinging to her sweat soaked forehead, she walked into the bathroom and began to draw a bath, a heavy scent filled the steamy air, she walked into the water and slid into it's depths.

Some time later she left the warm embrace of the bath, drying herself with magic, slipping between the sheets, the cool material caressed her hot skin, she eventually fell into an uneasy sleep.

 

Morning arrived with a damning inevitability, Narcissa was in the process of dressing and taming her bed hair, today she let it fall, sleek and natural, it curled slightly at the ends, never as prominent as those of her sisters. Finally happy with her appearance and the floor length robes she had chosen to wear, she walked elegantly out of the bedroom and headed off in search of breakfast.

An obliging elf provided her Mistress with freshly ground coffee and toast, she picked up the few pieces of mail from the hall and walked to her desk in the library, an unexpected sight was waiting for her, the surface of her desk was covered with Daffodils, several different colour variants all aesthetically arranged, unlike many of her family members, Narcissa was not named after a star, not many people knew she was named after this flower. With her curiosity piqued, she carefully placed her carried items on the desk, ensuring the flowers weren't harmed or disturbed, she gently moved the blooms in search of clues to the origin of this impressive display. She spotted a square of yellow parchment, hidden amongst the pale yellow flowers, with clumsy fingers she broke the seal, and gently unfolded it..

 

_Narcissa,_

_I'm so sorry you had to deal with Ginny the other day, work has been unexpectedly busy and I was tied up until very late._

_Please come tonight, dinner will be taken care of and I have some good news for you._

 

_Harry_

 

_P.S. Your Aunt said you may like the flowers, I'm unsure about these things._

 

She should have guessed, it took away all the bad feelings, being alone was like a poison and quickly corroded good thoughts and feelings, suitably elated the Lady of the house felt herself relax, she had tonight to look forward to, she would dress to impress and attempt to erase any trace of the ginger weasel from Harry's thoughts, he was hers now, and she was his, Narcissa had never been denied anything before and that wasn't going to come to an end any time soon.

 

Time moved in fits and starts, hours flew by only to crawl excruciatingly the next time she glanced at the clock, by mid afternoon she was pacing restlessly up and down in front of the fireplace, an Auror approached her about something trivial, she retrieved the mail she had discarded and forgotten earlier, as suspected it was mostly junk, and condemned to a fiery doom, a letter bearing the recognisable scrawl of Draco was a most welcome distraction.

Work was mentioned in only the vaguest terms, but it was going very well, the hope that he would be able to return home soon was clear in his words, he expressed a wish for them to have a nice dinner when he returned home, the idea pleased her, she hadn't really had many opportunities to get to know Draco's lovely wife.

 

She toyed with the idea of inviting Harry along as her plus one, a married man and Draco's boss, it would be fun, but possibly not the smartest move. Time seemed to be behaving itself again and Narcissa settled down with a well read book, lost in the words she was shocked to hear the clock chime six, placing the book down, she sped up to her room. She wasted precious minutes selecting a slightly more scandalous set of underwear this time, she adjusted her stockings, attached all the clips and pulled up the silk panties. She wasn't happy with the bra, well she was, it moulded her perfectly, but it was visible through her dress so the bra lay discarded on the bed, she slipped into a blood red gown, split tastefully down the skirt showing of a shapely leg, the plunging back and neckline left little to the imagination, but it hugged her figure and gave the impression her pale skin glowed.

The look was finished with a pair of strappy heels and a delicate application of makeup, a fine red shawl lay draped across her shoulders, the material almost sheer, looking at the result in the mirror, she smiled to herself and headed to the fireplace.

 

Expecting to walk out into a hot and busy kitchen and being met with quite the opposite left the woman standing confused, treading the familiar route up to the main hallway and climbing the stairs, she headed to the living room, a feeling of deja vu, his unmistakeable figure stood staring out of the window to the street below.

 

“You came, I wasn't sure if you would” she can feel the relief in his voice

“I wasn't sure myself” the lie rolled off her tongue so easily, she was no pushover

“I am so sorry about, well, you know” he averted his eyes and looked down at the carpet, she reached out and gently grasped his chin, she lifted his face up and looked into his eyes.

“It's in the past, maybe you can tell me what's going on?”

“Later, I promise, I don't want to spoil tonight” she felt warm as his eyes travelled over her body

“Very well. See something you like Potter?” It's his turn to feel the heat, the blush was almost instant

“You look beautiful Narcissa” she already knew but still liked hearing it, especially from him

“You look pretty handsome yourself Potter” he's dressed in a simple, well fitted black suit

“Tonight I would very much like to take you out, I have pulled in a few favours to make it special”

“Out? You mean in public? But.....” grinning broadly he closed the gap between them and took her hand

“Trust me” he kissed her soft red lips and she let out a shuddering breath and just nodded her head.

 

He put his arm around her waist and they apparate with a pop. Appearing in a posh looking part of a city, no one noticed the couple, he reached for her hand and led her across the street, they head towards a fancy looking building, there are people queueing to get in and the line of people is so long the end can't be seen.

Harry walked them both up to the door and gave his name to the doorman, they are instantly admitted. A young usher led them through the plush interior to an ornate booth, upholstered in rich leather, Narcissa allowed herself to be helped into her seat and her date settled down across from her, the young woman made a note of Harry's drink request and scurried off.

 

“Impressive Potter, but what if someone recognises us?”

“I told you everything will be fine” he smiled and waited for the penny to drop, her blue eyes darted around the room.

“This is a muggle restaurant?” Harry nodded and Narcissa relaxed a little

 

The wine arrived, Harry popped the cork and poured them each a generous measure, they clinked their glasses and enjoyed a taste, it wasn't bad for muggle wine, probably a fine example, she praised his superb choice.

 

“How did you pull this off?”

“A muggle-born at work owed me a favour and he knows the owner”

“You've set the bar quite high, I will have to see what strings I can pull for next time”

“I have to ask, where are you keeping your wand in that dress?”

“A woman never reveals her secrets, you'll have to use your imagination” she gave him a sly wink.

 

He passed her the restaurant's extensive and exotic menu, so many choices, and everything sounded divine, she started with a salad, then a main course of fish and chocolate cake for dessert, Harry chose a meaty starter and a mixed grill for his main, quite the carnivore, and also picked the cake.

The order was noted and menus were removed. Narcissa sat back and crossed her legs under the table, as she watched the handsome man opposite she gently ran her foot up and down his leg, he looked at her with hungry green eyes and an adorable grin on his face, his gaze dropped and when they stay lowered she smiled in spite of herself, the man is still a boy apparently.

 

“Potter” no response “Potter!” embarrassed green eyes met blue eyes shining with amusement “Oh, there you are, my face is up here by the way” he was so easy to embarrass, he mumbled an apology. She took his hand and leant in close, her voice seductively low

“I love that you love my outfit, I wore it for your benefit after all, but I was hoping for some conversation this evening” she grabbed his tie and pulled him into a kiss “You said in your note that you had some news?”

“I did, I mean I do” his eyes slowly drop again, she rolls her eyes

“If you can avert your eyes from my chest for just a moment please tell me, you will have the opportunity to enjoy my choice of clothing later, you may even find where I keep my wand”

 

The poor man almost choked on his mouthful of wine, she reached across to pat his back and the coughing subsided, he took a small sip of water from the jug provided and after wiping his streaming eyes, was able to continue talking.

 

“Draco is coming home, I'm happy that he's completed his task and I owled him this morning”

“That's great news” Narcissa's face positively lit up

“That's not all, I have finally got rid of an irksome wizard in my department, I wouldn't be surprised if he was related to Filch, well, the only logical choice for his position is Draco, so I will be promoting him very soon, but you aren't allowed to tell him”

“You've done so much for us, you honestly don't have to”

“I may be the department head, but I still have to put forward my recommendations, I picked my best, and Draco came out on top, I don't want his colleagues thinking he's getting preferential treatment, he's just the best at what he does” he smiled and adjusted his glasses. There are no words to express her gratitude, so she kissed him fiercely instead.

 

The starters arrived, glasses were topped up, the salad was crisp and fresh, they talked about everything and nothing, the main courses arrived, they shared their food a little, the young waitress returned to take away the empty plates and Narcissa requested that the dessert is brought out as one large serving with extra cream and two spoons, the girl nodded and hurried back in the direction of the kitchen.

Leaning back once more, the blonde witch adjusted her dress for her captive audience of one, and resumed running her foot gently against Harry's leg while they waited for dessert to arrive, he emptied the second bottle of wine between their glasses with a slight unsteadiness in his arm.

Dessert finally arrived, a veritable mountain of chocolate and cream, Narcissa grabbed a spoon, and offered Harry a sizeable mouthful, having succeeded in getting a large amount of cream right on the end of his nose, her giggles became raucous laughter, his expression remained deadpan as he finished his mouthful and cleaned his nose with a moist napkin, he narrowed his eyes and picked up the other spoon.

 

“Now Potter, it was an innocent mistake, don't do anything rash”

“I wouldn't dream of it” the gleam in his emerald eyes said different.

 

She opened her mouth trustingly and was surprised to get a mouthful of cake and cream, some of which was left on her lips, before she can lick them clean he claimed them in a kiss ,taking it for himself, she purred her approval, the cake is finished off in this fashion, she was thankful for the wine and romantic lighting, there was no way she would behave like this normally, but this was far from normal, and most importantly, she just didn't care.

With the meal finished they headed home, there were less people about at this time of night and once out of sight Harry apparated them back to the house.

 

Once inside and back in the living room, she pushed him back onto the sofa and straddled his waist.

 

“Thank you for a wonderful night” her lips brushed against the shell of his ear, she could feel him shiver beneath her

“My pleasure” the words came out as a croak, he looked like he wanted to say something, she placed a finger on his lips.

“We can talk about Ginny tomorrow” she whispered

“Ginny who?”

“Very good Potter, now take me to bed.”


	5. Chapter Five

The next morning they woke up simultaneously in a tangle of limbs, she could happily wake up like this every morning, so much better than waking up alone, once the war was over and she was allowed home, she always thought sleeping alone would just take some getting used to, but as time passed, it never felt better. Narcissa had even tried to convince herself that she missed Lucius, she knew she didn't, she could have taken any number of people into her bed, but that wasn't her style, and yet here and now with Harry's arms wrapped tightly around her, it all felt right, she didn't much care for being 'the other woman' but she didn't plan on letting it be that way for long. Once she knew all the facts concerning the breakdown of his marriage to the ginger girl, perhaps she would be able to help him, at the very least give him an incentive to move things forward, Weasel girl's loss was her gain.

 

“I can almost hear you thinking” she slapped him sharply on the side “What was that for?”

“You startled me, I was just wondering about.....”

“Ginny?” he finished the sentence for her, his voice flat.

“You remember who she is then?” he playfully attempted to push her away

“Each time I think about it, all my reasons for giving up seem so weak”

“Well I'm not going to judge, you can confide in me” she gave him a reassuring squeeze.

 

Harry took a deep breath and started to explain everything, after the battle for Hogwarts everyone wanted a piece of the Golden Trio, Hermione had taken on a large role in the cleaning up and restoration of the castle, including the removal of the dead, the ministry took care of the enemy combatants, the families of the rest had to come to identify and remove their loved ones, Hermione, to her credit, had personally dealt with everyone.

McGonagall had been installed as Headmistress and after the castle was restored to its former glory, Hermione took a place on the staff, as was the case with her school work, the same was true for work, she taught Transfiguration and helped out during staff shortages, so extensive was her knowledge of just about everything. If McGonagall had let her, no doubt she would have done more.

With her advancing years and duties as headmistress, coupled with helping the Ministry, McGonagall was only too happy to have Hermione teach in her stead and made her head of Gryffindor house. She and Ron had embarked upon a brief relationship and realised it was never going to work, thankfully it ended before any harm was done and they remained good friends.

 

Ron was offered many jobs within the Ministry, he had more than a passing interest in making Voldemort's followers pay for their crimes. It was a deeply personal reason and with his mind made up, he started on his Auror training immediately, he was surprisingly adept and he completed it with little issue, he was heavily involved with several raids tasked with bringing rogue Death Eaters to justice, he spent days in the field following leads and staking out potential hideouts, the cells in Azkaban were filling up nicely.

His career could not have been going better, around the Auror offices he was constantly compared to 'Mad-Eye' but one night, Ron and four of the best Aurors, hand picked by Ron himself, came upon a large abandoned house, an anonymous tip off led them to believe a few Death Eaters had holed up inside, the information was accurate, but it was a trap and everybody was killed, some kind of magical explosion, or so the Magical Investigative Forensic Team said. Ron had been found on the perimeter of the destroyed property unconscious and covered in blood, after he was released from St. Mungo's he resigned and went to help George run Weasley's Wizard Wheezes in Diagon alley, Ron said at the time, that he'd seen more than enough death for one lifetime.

 

The constant stream of funerals was the most wearing part, each one physically and mentally exhausting, so much shared grief and they felt obligated to attend every single one, they held no grudges, but were glad when the dead had been remembered and laid to rest at last, after that people started to look to the future, it was bright and full of hope.

Rita Skeeter was desperate to get the exclusive rights to the Golden Trio, book deals and interviews, the ultimate account of Voldemort's downfall, they didn't give her the time of day, at one point she became quite threatening, Kingsley had stepped in at that point, whatever he said to the woman had worked.

 

The celebrations came after that, every one held in honour of the people who brought an end to the second wizarding war, there were a few weddings along the way, Neville married Luna, he took over from Professor Sprout as Herbology teacher, Luna took over the Quibbler. George Weasley married Angelina Johnson and opened a Hogsmeade branch of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. After those happy events everyone wanted to know when Harry would propose to Ginny, Mrs Weasley dropped it into every conversation, Ron and Hermione gave him the least amount of grief, that was a small blessing, there was literally no escape, the spotlight was on the Boy-Who-Lived-Again, the Chosen one.

Rita Skeeter resurfaced and that made matters worse, Witch Weekly Magazine, a publication that Mrs Weasley adored, wanted to cover the photographs of the big day, Ginny's dress became a thing of much speculation. While all that was going on, Ginny had become a first team player for the Holyhead Harpies and was a celebrity in her own right, and that added to the furore, almost overnight the wedding had become an international media circus.

 

Harry had been offered pretty much anything he wanted, he chose a position in the Department of Mysteries and rapidly made his way to the top job, no one had questioned his choice, but now Narcissa knew the real reason, a reason he hadn't told anyone, as an Unspeakable, huge parts of Harry's working life were magically protected, it was the most privacy he had ever had, the older woman's heart went out to him, she probably knew more about Harry during the early parts of his life than he did.

So, in a situation that most pure-blooded families would have been proud of, Harry Potter's wedding to Ginevra Weasley was all but set in stone, by all accounts the wedding was largely free, so many people wanted it to happen, the catering had been done by an army of Hogwarts house elves, much to Hermione's dismay. for weeks after it was on the front page of every newspaper and magazine, it did more for people's happiness than any of the positive propaganda spouted by the Ministry.

 

Narcissa realised that she was holding Harry quite tightly and subsequently lessened her grip, he was getting close to revealing where it all went wrong. His hand was still tracing patterns on her back with his fingers, she had hardly noticed at the beginning, it was becoming distracting but in a good way, she didn't want anything interrupting this tale, she gave all her attention to the sound of his voice, she rested her head on his chest and stroked her fingers down his side, he took another deep breath and continued.

 

Between Harry's job and Ginny's Quidditch, the newly weds had easily managed to get themselves a place of their own, married life was pretty good to start with, until the nightmares started, always the same place, the Forbidden Forest, only the details changed slightly with each visitation, Ginny started treating him differently, it had reminded him of when his link to Voldemort had been discovered, his friends treated him differently, certain conversations were had, but whispered behind his back, and with the nightmares came the same feeling that the people close to him felt he needed to be handled with kid gloves and that made him angry and resentful.

Narcissa asked him about the dream, but he wouldn't tell, it wasn't the same as the one he'd told her about that morning in the living room, this particular detail had a nasty habit of repeating, and he was unwilling to share, she had no desire to force him to do something he didn't want to do, instead she kissed his jawline and let him talk.

 

Another deep breath, Narcissa's head rose and fell as he inhaled and exhaled, she could hear his heart thudding rapidly, he was nervous about what was to come. One night the dream had been incredibly vivid and he had attacked Ginny as she tried to wake him, uncontrolled magic, she hadn't been badly hurt but the next day she packed some things and spent the weekend at her parent's house, Harry had come to Grimmauld Place to take his mind off things, fixing the place up gave him something to do, and the act of being so busy meant nothing else could interfere, Narcissa could relate.

No one blamed Harry for what had happened, but it didn't stop the hushed conversations, the ones that inexplicably ended the moment he walked into the room. No one questioned all the time he spent at Grimmauld place, his job was demanding and during the Quidditch season, Ginny was rarely at home, he knew deep down that he no longer loved her, and that's when Narcissa had walked in, that spur of the moment decision made in the manor had given her so much.

 

“I understand” the words were spoken quiet and soft “There is no shame in no longer loving someone, you can't force it, I doubt anyone would blame you, and the rest would get over it, you are allowed to be happy”

“Thank you, I just kept thinking that I should make it work, everyone expected it to be perfect”

 

She climbed on top of him, wrapping herself around him and kissing him deeply before sighing close to his ear.

 

“Nothing is ever perfect, Potter, but this comes close, I can't make you do anything you don't want to do, but you know you need to do the right thing, and then we shall see.” He didn't say anything but she could feel him nodding.

 

 

**All's Fair**

 

 

The sound of the bathroom door closing brought Narcissa out of her daydream and back to the present. Dare she hope that he'd leave the weasel girl for her, she got up and walked to the bathroom, she kissed him in passing, and ran her nails across his abdomen eliciting a sharp hiss of pleasure from the dark haired man.

Narcissa returned to the room moments later, her hair fell down her back in a golden waterfall, her robe hung loose around her shoulders, once round her side of the bed she let her clothing fall to the floor, she felt hungry eyes track across her pale skin, she loved the way he looked at her, naked, clothed, it hardly made a difference, she doubted he ever looked at the ginger weasel the same way.

She slid in between cool sheets and was met with hot skin, and hot lips across her shoulder and back, she happily melted into his embrace, he whispered softly in her ear.

 

“I'm leaving her, I'll make it official tomorrow, I'm sorry I've messed you around for so long”

“I'm glad I stayed around”

“So am I, I never meant to take so long, I was afraid”

“I was scared you'd see sense and stay with her”

“What about you and Lucius?”

“He's in Azkaban and we're divorced”

“I thought your divorce was just a show for the public and you'd try and get his sentence reduced, I got the impression that you were extremely devoted to each other”

 

She turned to face him, understanding something vital for the first time

 

“I assumed that all your talk of guilt was just about you cheating, and you thought that I somehow shared some of that, but all this time you thought I was stepping out on Lucius. Harry, I want to be here, I want to be with you, that's all I've wanted for a long time, that's why I tolerated being the other woman. Whatever feelings I had for my husband, well, they died long ago”

 

It was all out in the open now, love had not been talked about, only felt, and that feeling was shared, just the small matter of telling two thirds of the Golden Trio and Draco remained, once news got out into the wider wizarding community, merlin only knew what would happen then, hopefully people wouldn't be too concerned with the chosen one's divorce, and if they were lucky, it might even give that Skeeter bitch a heart attack. After they finished their intense chat, sleep came easily to the couple.

 

Harry felt exhausted, completely drained, a penetrating cold cut through to his bones, he walked automatically, as if on rails, his mind knew where to go, he'd walked these paths many times. There was no sound this time, a fire flickered in the distance, occasionally visible through the trees, as he got closer figures could be seen hunched around it's warm glow, for some reason tonight his eyes sought out Bellatrix, she looked battle worn and a little bloody.

Voldemort seemed utterly calm, disappointed that the boy had not appeared, the next moments were a blur, time slowed to a crawl when the jet of green light left the wand of his nemesis, it struck him square in the chest, his body dropped to the soft forest floor.

 

Bellatrix begging to examine his body only to be denied and shunned by her precious Lord, Harry could almost visualise the look on the dark witch's face, new sounds, a new dream perhaps, Harry was hoping that's the case, he hadn't realised before that Voldemort had actually hurt Narcissa, forcing her to check him for signs of life, this time he could feel his anger in response to her mistreatment, then soft hands were touching him and his anger abated, he could smell her and feel her hair brushing against his face, she asked about Draco, satisfied with his answer she squeezed his hand before standing and proclaiming his death. Dream Harry held his breath, his heart pounding, a shrill scream 'LIAR' the spell hit the witch, ice filled his veins, suffocating him, he opened his eyes just in time to see the light leave hers.

 

Waking up suddenly, panting, nauseous, a cold sweat on clammy skin, concerned blue eyes found his panicking ones, soft warm hands on his cheeks, a soothing voice called his name.

 

“Harry, are you all right?” he nodded, his breathing was slowing

“I was back in the forest”

“Tell me what happened, why is it so bad after all this time?”

“I don't know why it's so bad, back then there wasn't a reason to fear that outcome”

“You aren't making any sense” his eyes focus back on Narcissa

“When you tell Voldemort I'm dead, he doesn't believe you, he kills you and that's when I wake up”

 

He turned his head away from her, she wished that she could see his expression, she reached out to touch him hesitantly and stopped herself.

 

“Saving you was purely selfish, I only wanted to know that Draco was safe, but, days later he told me what happened in the room of requirement, I thought about you a lot after that”

“I dreamt about you, and it wasn't all nightmares, what do you think it means?”

“Maybe nothing, maybe everything”

“To me it's everything, Narcissa, I have enjoyed every minute I've spent with you, I want to be with you, I think, and this is a feeling I've had for a while, I think I love you”

 

She sat stock still, her mouth was open slightly, she wet her lips with the tip of her tongue, he felt the heat of embarrassment creeping up his face. As she had barely moved for what felt like an age, he jumped slightly when she finally did, with an increasingly large smile on her face, she spoke

 

“I love you too” there was no going back now.


	6. Chapter Six

Getting out of bed was an unpleasant experience most mornings, but getting out of the bed he was sharing with Narcissa was a cruel and unusual punishment, he glanced over at her sleeping form, a rookie mistake, Harry wanted nothing more than to slip back into bed but he had things to do, he settled for kissing her lightly on her shoulder, covering her back up as he straightened the duvet, he crossed the room to the chair, pulled on a pair of faded blue jeans, a crisp white t-shirt and a charcoal coloured shirt, he then hunted for some socks, and a pair of trainers.

 

In the dimly lit kitchen he foraged for something resembling breakfast, settling for toast and a cup of tea, Harry didn't like to call on Kreacher for every tiny thing, he was fighting a losing battle against bone idle laziness, he already apparated everywhere, or used the floo network. Fed and watered, he grabbed a light jacket and headed out of the front door.

A lot of Harry's hot headedness had dissipated as he got older, but today it was back with a vengeance, it was much earlier than he first thought and cursed himself for not having the good sense to look at a clock before leaving, he didn't want to go back inside, the temptation to go back to bed would be impossible to ignore. There must be somewhere he could go, but who would be awake, a thought popped into his head and a smile crept onto his face, he pulled up the image and vanished.

 

Harry found himself standing on a street corner in an attractive suburb, the house opposite looked like a picture postcard, the trellis over the gate was covered in a decorative creeping plant, Virginia creeper covered over half of the house, the garden looked wild but not untidy, he crossed the road and let himself through the gate, a light burned brightly in the kitchen, he followed the path to the stable style back door and knocked loudly.

A shockingly familiar face greeted him as the door was opened, he swallowed hard, taking in the look of the woman, soft friendly eyes, much lighter hair, cascading curls, and a smile, genuine and warm, nothing like the hard sneer of her sister, Andromeda Tonks overcame her initial shock, pulled a startled Harry into a hug and ushered him through into the cosy kitchen.

 

“Good morning stranger, what brings you here?”

“I thought I was long overdue a visit, I set out earlier than I intended and knew you'd be up”

“I honestly can't remember what having a lie in is like, tea?”

“Yes please, how's Ted?”

“Oh, you know, into everything, more energy than you could possibly imagine, infinitely curious, he asks about Dora and Remus all the time, he can change his appearance just like Dora, but he wants to be a wolf like his dad, he makes his hair like a wolf's coat and howls a lot, it's wearing thin, but he's a child” Harry can tell she's loving every minute.

 

Right on cue, a small handsome little boy came barrelling into the kitchen on all fours and pounced at Harry, he scooped up the wolf boy with relative ease, and tickled him mercilessly, Teddy laughed until he squealed, the tickle attack ends and little arms hug Harry's neck tightly

 

“Hey Ted, I've missed you little man, sorry for the tickles, but I thought I had to defend myself against a wild wolf attack” the little boy looked delighted

“It was just me, but I fooled you Harry”

“You sure did, are you being good for your Grandma?”

“Most of the time” he must have got that mischievous look from his mother

“I'm too young to be a Grandma” Andromeda grumbled as she handed Harry a steaming cup of tea

 

Teddy wriggled his way back to the floor and bounded off into the house somewhere.

 

“You look distracted Harry, is everything ok?”

“Yeah, well, no, not really” he took a slow sip of his tea “it's over between Ginny and me”

“I wasn't expecting that, I'm sorry to hear that Harry but how come?

“Many reasons, we married too young, I just don't love her that way any more, we hardly see each other because she's away playing Quidditch, the list goes on and on”

“Have you told anyone else?”

“No, only you, and I hadn't even planned on doing that”

“I wish you luck, I'm sure everyone will understand”

“A wise man once said that sometimes you have to choose between what's right and what's easy, I chose easy, I felt it was expected of me, but now I need to do what is right”

 

Andromeda placed her cup on the side and hugged the young man. They spent an enjoyable hour chatting and catching up, a quick look at the clock and Harry decided that it was time to leave

 

“You come back soon, you're always welcome, Teddy loves you, and I do miss adult conversation”

“Thanks for the tea, and I won't leave it so long next time”

 

Harry waved at the woman stood in the doorway until she was obscured from view, he thought about the house he shared with Ginny and vanished again. It was a handsome looking single storey building, with a nice garden, set right on the outskirts of a sleepy muggle town, high hedges surrounded it on all sides, providing complete privacy, it was one of the reasons they had bought it in the first place.

Stepping into the hallway the house seemed empty, his suspicions were confirmed when he checked the bedroom, the bed didn't even looked like it had been slept in, he pulled some suitcases from under the bed and filled them with all of his clothes, a few personal items got thrown on top and that was the bedroom cleared, he dragged the cases out into the hallway.

 

Pictures lined the wall, Harry and Ginny smiled out from most of them, their wedding day, holidays, family ones, well her family, he should've felt devastated but didn't, the weight he imagined carrying seemed to be lessening, and he was feeling lighter all the time. His gaze fell upon his favourite picture, Himself, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Luna and Neville smiled down on him, he removed it from it's hook and stowed it in the nearest suitcase.

The living room was spacious, there wasn't anything in here that he felt inclined to take, moving to a side room, he entered his study, his old school trunk sat in the corner, with a few flicks of his wand the room's contents were neatly packed into the trunk, it was mostly paperwork, newspaper cuttings, odds and ends he'd collected over the years, satisfied, he dragged the trunk to the hallway. For a split second he considered leaving a note and just going, he decided that was unacceptable behaviour and that Ginny deserved better, and as a proud Gryffindor he should be better, he headed into the kitchen to make a drink.

 

The kettle whistled a shrill note, boiling water was poured into a cup, the clink of the spoon was the only sound, the front door opened and closed, he heard footsteps stop abruptly in the hall, Harry's heart jumped to his throat, a few moments later, the footsteps resumed and Ginny stepped into the kitchen, they managed to smile weakly at each other, struck by an overwhelming need to busy himself, Harry made her a coffee and set the cup on the side, this part of the kitchen had a raised counter with tall stools, he sat himself on one and she did the same.

 

“I hoped this day would never come” Harry was so glad she spoke first, she held her mug in both hands and stared into the black liquid

“Me too, I'm so sorry Gin”

“I know, we married far too young, it worked for mum and dad, and I hoped that it would be the same for us, maybe if we hadn't rushed, things would have been different”

“Maybe, I've been telling myself for months that it was just a rocky patch”

“Does it have anything to do with Narcissa Black?” the question shocked Harry, he just sat, dumbfounded “Well?”

“Yes, in a way, among other things” he couldn't bring himself to meet the red head's eyes

“That night in the Forbidden Forest, you never told anyone about it, but she knows?”

“Yes”

“Why her? What the fuck makes her so damn special?”

“It's not like that, she made it possible to defeat Voldemort, without her intervention I would have died right there in that clearing” the anger slowly faded from Ginny's face.

“I wish you could have opened up about it to me” she sounded completely dejected

“I'm sorry, I can't, I couldn't”

 

She closed the space between them and hugged him, after a time, he awkwardly hugged her back, it was done, they both knew it was over, the relief he felt was tangible.

 

“You can keep this place” she looked up, surprised

“Really?”

“Yes, I insist, it's the least I can do, I'll deal with the rest, if that's ok” he couldn't bring himself to say divorce

“I'll do what needs to be done, I won't fight you, you've had your fair share of hardships, I couldn't add to that”

“I'm grateful, I'll send Kreacher for my things, bye Ginny, Sorry”

 

She didn't cry, and nor did he, her strength always impressed him, he looked back at her one last time before stepping outside, Harry apparated blind and found himself outside the Leaky Cauldron, it was clear that his mind had a plan for him. He stepped inside the familiar building, he's greeted immediately by Tom, the toothless barman, all drinks ordered by the Golden Trio were free while he drew breath, that's what he had said the first time he'd seen them after the war, Harry declined the offered drink, it was still far too early for that, although his nerves were screaming for a little something to take the edge off.

 

Out in the back, he tapped the bricks in the small courtyard and the archway to Diagon Alley formed, and he proceeded through and onto the familiar cobbles, Florean Fortescue refused to let him past without trying his latest creation, how could anyone turn down free ice cream? As usual it's sublime, the man truly was a genius.

He was tempted to pop in and see Ollivander, but not today, a trip to Gringotts was also on the cards, that would not be a happy event, though largely forgiven, there was a distinct atmosphere whenever he set foot into the place. Constantly being patted on the back and congratulated as he travelled towards his destination was starting to wear thin, at last he made it to his destination and practically fell into the Weasley joke shop, the place was heaving with customers.

Harry can't help browsing, winding his way to the back of the shop, a tall, gangly man, with ginger hair had his back to him, in a loud, fake posh accent, he called out to his friend.

 

“What in the name of Merlin's baggy underpants, do you have to do to get service around here?”

“Listen here you jumped up little git, you'll get thrown out with that attitude” the reaction from Ron upon spotting Harry was epic, he tripped over a stepping stool and pulled several shelves of goods down on him in the process.

 

The swearing got louder as Harry magically repaired Ron's handiwork. With a face as red as his hair, Ron emerged, he flicked Harry an incredibly rude hand gesture then motioned for him to follow, before he stepped into the office he yelled an order for someone to mind the shop, Harry assumed there were others working and his best friend hadn't just left the place to be run by the customers.

The office was nice and cosy, it contained a desk and a few comfy chairs, a drink was thrust into Harry's hand before he could mount a protest, he shrugged slightly and took a sip, he figured that the sun must be over the yardarm somewhere in the world.

 

“So what I have I done to deserve this unexpected pleasure, mate?”

“I was in the area and thought I'd drop in”

“Bollocks, I know you better than that, you always let me know when you're about”

“It's over, Me and Ginny I mean” he just blurted it out, his mate was stunned but quickly recovered

“Oh bloody hell Harry, I'm sorry, was it the uncontrolled magic thing? Mum and dad don't blame you, Ginny never blamed you either”

 

Ron had changed so much since school, there was a time when he would have been the last person Harry confided in, he still expected the old Ron to resurface, she was his sister after all, but instead Harry was just faced with Ron, his best friend, and that was a blessed relief

 

“It was a lot of things Ron, too young, too busy in our own lives, we just drifted apart”

 

Ron laid a big hand on Harry's shoulder and turned it into an awkward manly hug, he didn't mind.

 

“How about we go and visit mum and dad, they will understand mate, mum will probably blame herself for piling on the pressure, you'll be hugged to within an inch of your life, she'll notice that you're still a scrawny little git and force about three meals down you, but it's best not to dwell, and they'd appreciate hearing it from you”

“Ok, let's do it”

“Meet me outside, I need to make sure there's someone in charge before I head off”

 

Ten minutes later, the two men stood on a tall hill looking out over the small magical community of Ottery St Catchpole, the Burrow was clearly visible, they were barely through the gate when the instantly recognisable form of Molly Weasley came marching out to greet them, Ron's muffled 'Gerroff mum' made Harry chuckle, it was just like old times. Soon enough he found himself pulled into a similar embrace, the closest thing he ever had to family, he really hoped they took the news as well as Ginny and Ron had.

Inside the house he shook hands with Arthur while Molly made herself busy in the kitchen. The men moved into the living room, Molly bustled in with a big tray of drinks and biscuits.

 

“What brings you both here today?”

“Harry's got a bit of bad news, wanted to tell you himself” Harry cringed, that was more like the old Ron, complete with crumbs flying from his mouth as he spoke

“Yes, I thought you'd want to hear it from me, Ginny and I, well, we, it's over, I'm sorry”

 

The silence was deafening, he didn't dare to look at the faces of the people around him, Mr Weasley coughed but didn't say anything, Harry could feel his face becoming very warm, and before he realised what was happening Mrs Weasley had him in a bone crushing hug.

 

“Of course I blame myself, dear, Arthur and I, we married almost straight out of Hogwarts, I feel dreadful, all that pressure I must've placed on you, war forced you to be adults, but you were both still so young, I shouldn't have rushed you”

 

This went on for quite some time, Harry's heart swelled for this utterly amazing family, he saw Arthur rolling his eyes at his wife, suggesting she let the boy breathe.

 

“Thank you both for understanding”

“You're a good boy Harry, a fine man, you've done so much for our family, we'd never bear any ill will towards you, these things happen”

“Thank you Mr Weasley, you've no idea how much that means to me”

“Of course you'll stay for lunch, you're looking awfully thin Harry, are you eating well?”

“Yes Mrs Weasley, Kreacher makes sure I remember to eat”

 

Lunch was fantastic, it reminded Harry of the time before Voldemort's second rise to power, before the loss of so many people, he glanced over at the wonderful clock, Fred's hand still pointed out at nothing, the only other change to the clock face was the removal of 'mortal peril' label, it was either a sign that peace was here to stay for good, or that during the war it was constantly occupied, and no one needed to be reminded of that.

Feeling way too full, Harry said his goodbyes and got ready to leave, Ron protested but to no avail, Hermione was the last person he needed to visit today and he already felt awful that she would be the last to know, he contemplated sweetening the deal by telling her something the others didn't know, but he wasn't sure how ready or willing he was to share his secrets.

 

By the time Harry reached the top of the hill, sweat was running down his face, salt burnt his eyes, he sat down heavily on the tufty grass, catching his breath and mopping the sweat from his face, when he had cooled down, he stood and apparated to Hogsmeade.

The town had hardly changed, it was mostly untouched during the battle for Hogwarts, Zonko's was now the Hogsmeade branch of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, and their stock list probably doubled as the list of forbidden items that Filch had pinned to the wall in his office. The town was moderately busy, a few students were wandering around, a few of the more observant ones nudged their friends and pointed at Harry as he walked towards the castle.

 

Passing through the gates and protective barriers without incident surprised the young man, there was a figure coming out of the main doors and down the steps to meet him, that told him that they were at least aware someone had entered the grounds. As they got closer, he noticed the way they were dressed, the way they moved, it could only be Minerva McGonagall.

 

“Potter, to what do we owe this pleasure?”

“Hello Professor, you're looking well, I've come to see Hermione”

“Of course, I take it you know the way?”

“I hope so, it's been a while since I had to attend Transfiguration class, I think I was only late once and that was in my first year”

 

The old witch's mouth curled up at the corners, she left him at the main staircase and went off on her way. Harry walked familiar halls, lost in memories, occasionally dragged back into the now by a surprised pupil, the famous Harry Potter had returned to Hogwarts, he chuckled to himself. Eventually he stopped outside a classroom, memories rushed back to him, he smiled at nothing in particular and banged on the door. He heard boots stomp across the floor, the door was wrenched open with so much force he was amazed it still hung on its hinges, a very irate and bushy haired woman stared at the person who dared disturb her, and then he was being squeezed to death once more and suffocating in wild brunette curls.

 

“Please let me breathe, between you and Mrs Weasley I may be the first person to be hugged to death” she looked a little sheepish as she released him and stepped back, he straightened his glasses

“Harry, sorry, I was busy, you know how I hate interruptions, this is most welcome, please come in”

 

The room had barely changed, apart from an impressive number of bookshelves, it looked to Harry as if Hermione had relocated the entire school library.

 

“How have you been Hermione?”

“Great, I mean, McGonagall has left some pretty impressive boots to fill, and I'm head of Gryffindor, it's a lot to live up to”

“You could do it in your sleep” she blushed and waved a hand, dismissing his compliment

“So, what brings you here?”

“I just had lunch with the Weasleys and thought I'd come see how you are”

“I've known you for years Harry, you didn't come here for a social visit”

“Do I have something written on my face? Everyone has said something similar to me today”

“We just know you, who else have you seen today?”

“Andromeda and Teddy, Ginny, Ron, Mr and Mrs Weasley and you”

“I'm glad you remembered me” she shoved him playfully, he smiled at her, the brains of the Trio, Harry knew he'd have died a long time ago without her “you see Ginny all the time though, why did you need a special trip to see her” her eyes widen as the puzzle pieces slot into place.

 

Once again Harry was trapped in a hug, trust Hermione to work it out in no time at all, he let her get on with it and wondered if it was too soon to tell her about Narcissa, although, if anyone could deal with that little nugget of information, it would be the woman in front of him, maybe he could tell her about the events in the Forbidden Forest, once she knew that Narcissa was his saviour, would she make the connection, he was lost in thought until he heard his name called, the hug had ended.

 

“So why, what happened, are you ok, how's Ginny, does Ron and his parents know?”

“Hermione, slow down” she smiled apologetically and mimed zipping her mouth

“It was a long time coming, I didn't love her any more, Ginny took it better than expected as did Ron and his parents, you reacted as expected” he smiled at her, she wrinkled her nose at him

“How are the nightmares?”

“Still there, less frequent but much more vivid, How about you?”

“Occasionally they come back, I've made peace with most of it” Harry couldn't help notice her holding her arm, her hand covered the spot where Bellatrix's mark was, he made a mental note to ask Narcissa about it, every attempt to heal it had failed, it wouldn't hurt to ask.

“Where will you live?”

“12 Grimmauld Place, I let Ginny keep the house”

“That's nice, I know she loves that place, How are you coping?”

“It's not that bad, Walburga no longer screams at me, Kreacher is like a different elf and by degrees the house is looking good, I'll have to invite you and Ron round for dinner”

“I'd like that, I haven't been there since the day Yaxley followed us from the Ministry”

“You'll be pleased to know that I actually fend for myself and give Kreacher time off”

“I'm so proud of you”

“If anyone else said that, I'd swear they were making fun of me”

 

Hermione convinced Harry to stay for a while longer, her next class would be thrilled to meet the famous Harry Potter, Harry was not keen on the idea at all, but the young witch persevered, eventually changing tactics and whining the word please, followed by a generous helping of emotional blackmail.

He finally agreed, his resistance was expected, he despised being in the spot light, but there was no way he would actually let Hermione down. The students filed in, the busy chatter stopped almost immediately, replaced by whispering and furtive glances.

Harry had never seen Hermione in teacher mode, she effortlessly channelled her inner McGonagall, and he doubted the class would ever dare step out of line. Once allotted their tasks for the lesson a few of the braver ones asked him to sign pieces of parchment and the occasional book, some just wanted to talk, all in all it wasn't nearly as bad as he first imagined, in fact he quite enjoyed himself, they were a polite bunch, he almost wished he'd put in an application for the Defence Against the Dark Arts job.

 

With class over, the two friends chatted easily, Harry talked about his plans for Grimmauld place and Hermione talked about school, it was fast approaching dinner time, the great hall would be filling up.

 

“Why not stay? I'm sure we could find you a room”

“There's no need, I'll just floo home”

“Do you have to work?”

“No”

“Then stay, Neville would love to see you”

 

She wouldn't give up, she was like a dog with a bone, Harry was feeling fatigued after a long day, he was desperately grasping for a cast iron excuse

 

“I can't Hermione, Narcissa is coming round later”

 

The words had left his mouth before his brain could stop it, shit!


	7. Chapter Seven

They stood there just staring at each other, Hermione's eyes were wide with shock, Harry looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights. His mind raced, searching for some plausible way of explaining away what had just come tumbling from his mouth, before he could mount a reasonable defence, the young brunette found her voice.

 

“If I heard you correctly, Narcissa Malfoy comes round to your house, socially?”

“It's Narcissa Black now, and yes she does, sometimes, she even stays the night”

“You mean, you, her, her and you” her incoherence would've been amusing at any other time

“Yes”

“Harry, you cheated on Ginny with that woman?”

“I'm sorry Hermione, but it's really no one's business”

 

The slap echoed around the empty room, she swore quietly under her breath and rubbed her sore hand. Harry barely reacted, he could feel a hand shaped welt riding on his face, but the shame hurt more and he just hung his head.

 

She sat down heavily and huffed in indignation but Harry was in no mood to defend his every move, he didn't want to lose her as a friend, but he was master of his own life now, she didn't have to like his choices, but he hoped she could respect the fact that they were his choices to make. He wasn't sure why he was so protective of the details of what transpired in the Forbidden forest, but he already regretted telling Ginny that Narcissa had saved him. He started to walk towards the door, it was probably a good idea to leave the angry young woman and give her time to process, he hadn't got far when he felt a hand on his shoulder, he turned to look at her.

Whatever the witch was about to say died on her tongue, he could see her digesting the information and trying to find the words for a response. Harry could sympathise with her internal struggle, her loyalty and love for him, and a vested interest in his happiness and well being, but finding that happiness with a woman who stood by and let her deranged sister torture her, maybe that would be a step too far.

 

“Putting aside the fact that she stood by and did nothing while her sister chatted to me, girl to girl, how on earth did it happen? I just can't picture a scenario where you two meet and become romantically involved” her voice was bordering on the hysterical.

“At the time I thought Narcissa, Lucius and Draco just looked scared witless, apart from that and some pure blooded snobbery, she hadn't really done anything, and she's not like that, it's mostly an act”

“So how did it happen, I want details, not _those_ details” she added hastily

“I'm not going to talk about it right now, I know it slipped out but you are the only person who knows, in a way I'm pleased, I trust you and when I feel ready to talk about it, I will come and tell you, please just let me have this, I'm happy, that's good right?”

 

She nodded, he gave her a hug, the hug was returned and they said their goodbyes, Harry promised to keep up the offer of getting together for food, drinks and catching up, grabbing a handful of floo powder he stood in the flames and headed home.

 

He stepped out into the kitchen, Kreacher was nowhere to be seen, he fixed himself a drink, the stress of the last few hours all but melted away, he placed his cup on the side and set off up the stairs, he exchanged a few pleasantries with the formidable Walburga Black, before heading up to the first floor and proceeding to the next staircase, as his foot touched the first step he changed his mind and walked down the hall, into his tapestry room. Ever since Narcissa had given him this astounding gift, he would come in here, taking it all in, learning the names and faces, he had been surprised when the link between himself and Ginny had begun to fade, it was subtle at first, becoming more pronounced, what struck Harry as strange, was that it had started happening long before he'd decided to split from Ginny.

Looking at it now, the link was completely gone, but there seemed to be another change taking place, he ran his fingers over the material, it was like the softest silk. Kreacher appeared and bowed low.

 

“Evening Kreacher, is everything ok?”

“Kreacher didn't mean to intrude”

“That's fine”

“Mistress asked Kreacher to give you this”

 

A long fingered hand held out a neatly folded piece of parchment, He took it, thanked the elf and carefully set about unfolding it.

 

_Harry,_

_I hope your day went well, I won't lie, I was disappointed when I woke up alone, I so wanted to be there this evening but Draco is visiting, I know you'll understand._

_Send Kreacher for me when you're next free, you can tell me all about your day._

 

_Narcissa_

 

_P.S. I have grown used to sleeping with you, I will miss you tonight._

 

Slipping the note into his pocket he left the room and continued up to his bedroom, he removed the note from his pocket and placed it on his bedside table along with his glasses, he took off his clothes and dropped them into the laundry basket, remembering to grab a towel this time, he crossed the hall to have a shower.

He washed at a leisurely pace, taking the time to shave and wash his hair, feeling clean and relaxed, he quickly dried himself and went back to his room.

He put on some loose fitting pyjama trousers and slid beneath the covers, he shuffled over to the other side of the bed, it still smelled of her, yet the bed looked freshly made, if she wanted to get under his skin, she was succeeding.

 

When he woke up alone he shared Narcissa's disappointment, he quickly dressed and went down to the kitchen, he was grateful for Kreacher's breakfast, and ate like a starving man. Feeling full but not uncomfortably so, he was about to send for Narcissa when he felt the unmistakeable call to work, he cursed under his breath for ever showing Kingsley how Dumbledore's Army used to communicate, the coins were now standard issue throughout the Ministry.

 

He grabbed a handful of powder and threw it angrily into the flames, appearing in the atrium of the Ministry of Magic moments later, he got into the nearest elevator and travelled down to the lower levels. He stepped out into a black tiled hall, torch lights flickered, distorted reflections off the tiles played tricks on his eyes, he walked to the door at the end, his footsteps echoed loudly in the quiet corridor.

Tapping the door at the end with his wand caused it to dissolve into a smoke like substance, he passed through, he tapped a wall of this octagonal room and it started to spin, the blue torchlight blurred into a harsh line across his retinas. He remembered his induction as an Unspeakable, he had first been led into the brain room, he remembered how they wrestled one of them off of Ron. No matter how skilled an Occlumens a witch or wizard may be, this was the ultimate insurance, all Unspeakables were linked to a brain in that room, upon leaving the Department of Mysteries, all sensitive memories would be stored in the linked brain and transferred back upon their return. It was a flawless system, but he still shuddered as he recalled linking with 'his brain' but the process was nothing like the time his friend had touched one.

He left the once spinning room, and stepped into his office, if he was expecting the reason for his summons to be here, he was very much mistaken.

 

Feeling annoyed that his time was being wasted, he opened a hidden panel at the back of his office, a reminder of the dark times, a macabre trophy cabinet containing Tom Riddle's Diary, Marvolo Gaunt's ring, Slytherin's Locket and Helga Hufflepuff's cup, all destroyed but identifiable, and the jewel in the crown, Voldemort's wand. He was never told how the Ministry acquired it, but it was entrusted to his department, along with the charred remains of the Horcruxes. A polite cough from behind and he turned to see the impressive figure of Kingsley Shacklebolt entering the room

 

“I like to remind myself of the price we paid beating Voldemort” he said as way of explanation

“We would do well never to forget” Kingsley's deep voice filled the room “sorry I wasn't here to meet you, I was held up”

“You don't have to apologise to me Minister, I did wonder why I'd been called in”

“I spoke to Arthur earlier this week, about a personal matter, he thought you'd appreciate discretion”

The Minister recognised Harry's confused expression and prompted

 

“Your divorce, Harry”

 

He held out several sheets of paper, Harry took them and started reading.

 

“Just sign on the bottom of the last page” he handed Harry a quill

“Thank you Minister”

“I'm sorry it didn't work out Harry, I'll make sure these documents are processed and sealed, we wouldn't want that awful Skeeter woman getting wind of your this, although I dare say she will find out in time, the Ministry is no longer sick and corrupt, so I can say with hand on heart that we look after our own”

 

They shook hands, Harry handed him the signed the papers and the Minister left the office. Turning back to the alcove, he looked over the items one last time and sealed it up again. As he readied himself to leave there was a sharp knock on his door, a groan escaped him

 

“Come in” he called in a resigned voice, a familiar face entered, pale, pointed features with slicked back blonde hair “Hi, Draco”

“Potter, I saw the Minister leaving and figured you were in, here's the reports from my trip”

“Thanks, I'll look them over”

“Thank you for calling me back early, I love the work, but it's good being home” the two men exchanged small smiles.

 

With nothing further to add, Draco took his leave, their working relationship was pretty good, Harry conceded, there didn't seem to be any animosity, the slight air of tension, he had always just attributed it to their early years of school. It had taken a few years before he was able to bring up the incident in the bathroom, Draco believed him when he said he had no idea what 'Sectumsempra' did, the act of saving him from Fiendfyre had gone a long way towards making them even, it was good to know, Harry had carried the guilt of that event with him for years.

He had no idea how he would tell him about the growing relationship with his mother, hoping that a situation would present itself and that it would all just click into place, he chuckled at the idea of such optimism.

 

He headed back up to the atrium and took the floo network back home, he barely had time to brush himself down before Kreacher appeared to tell him that Narcissa wanted him to go to Malfoy manor, he stepped back into the flames and out into a library, that on closer inspection was severely lacking in books. A familiar figure was curled up on a chaise lounge, Harry couldn't help but admire the sleeping woman, she was effortlessly beautiful, her long blonde hair cascaded down in gentle waves almost covering her face.

He quietly crossed the room and knelt down in front of her, he carefully moved her hair out of her face and placed a chaste kiss on her slightly parted lips, her eyelids fluttered open, ice blue irises focused on the face in front of her.

 

“That's how I want to be woken up every time I fall asleep” she sighed

“I saw Draco at work earlier, he was pleased that I called him back earlier than he'd expected”

“He said as much to me when we spent the day together, he was missing Astoria”

“Kingsley came and finalised my divorce”

“You're all mine now” the smile growing on his face was stopped abruptly by Narcissa's lips.

“I've been yours for a long time now”

 

Narcissa uncurled herself to make room for Harry, he sat himself down, she made herself comfortable against him and rested her head against his chest, she was eager to hear about his previous day's activities, he considered leaving out his visit to Andromeda, but she took it well, maybe he could help the sister's build some bridges.

She was a captive audience to his tale and even more surprised about the acceptance of Harry's news by the Weasleys, than Harry had been. Then he reached the part of the tale with Hermione, he wasn't sure how Narcissa would feel about him letting slip their secret.

 

“Hermione knows about us, it sort of slipped out”

“I see, how did that go?”

“I'm not sure, better than expected, she slapped me pretty hard, what are you smirking at?”

“You of course, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't pleased that you couldn't help thinking about me, which cheek did she hit?”

 

He pointed and she grabbed his chin between her thumb and forefinger and planted a kiss on his cheek, before kissing him many times in quick succession.

 

“What did she have to say, will she tell anyone?”

“She was pretty shocked, a bit angry, she brought up the fact that you stood there and watched your sister torture her” a pained look crossed the woman's face “She won't tell anyone”

“Bella only did what she did to protect me, in her own twisted way, I'm still not certain what she was so worried about, all I know is that I trusted her to keep Draco and I safe, she suffered for your escape and took all the blame, the Dark Lord left her for dead, I'm not trying to justify her actions, or try to make you feel guilty” Narcissa let out a heavy sigh “she never used to be like that, she was the best big sister you could have asked for, Andi and I adored her and she protected us”

 

Despite his hatred for Bellatrix, seeing the sadness in those blue eyes and the pain on her face, all Harry could do was hold her tight, softly kissing the top of her head. Narcissa let out a sigh, lifting her head she flicked her hair out of the way and laid her head back on his lap, she took his left hand and placed it over her heart, she idly ran her fingertips over his knuckles up to his wrist and back down again. With his right hand he massaged her head and played with her hair, had Narcissa been a cat she'd have been purring.

 

 

**The Trade of Kings**

 

 

Several months after Narcissa had given Harry the magical tapestry, he found himself on the lookout for a suitable gift for her, he found himself getting advice from her Aunt, and that was where the idea for the flowers had come from, as much as he wanted to, he couldn't take the credit for that, besides, it was more of an apology for not being at the house to save her from Ginny, now he was determined to find something himself.

With absolutely no idea what to buy an incredibly wealthy pure blooded witch, he had taken to wandering idly up and down Diagon Alley during his free time, but to no avail, after a few weeks of this he was still no closer to finding anything. Having successfully put it off thus far, but unable to put it off any longer he headed to Gringotts, he took a deep breath and pushed open the large double doors, his footsteps loud on the bright marble floor.

 

He slowly approached the head goblin. He could feel the eyes of many goblins watching his every move.

 

“Ah, Mr Potter, Always a pleasure, what can I do for you today?”

“I'd like to go to my vault please”

“Your vault?” the goblin raised his eyebrows, fixing him with beady, black eyes

“Yes, just my vault”

 

Harry hoped that was some kind of goblin humour, he had apologised to the heads of the goblin community, he had explained in detail why the Golden Trio had broken in, and despite the unpleasantness with Griphook, he had corroborated their story.

He followed an unfamiliar goblin to the mine cart, and after several stomach churning minutes he was standing inside his family vault, after sorting himself out a modest amount of walking around money, he had a proper look around, there wasn't anything that jumped out at him, aside from the cold, hard currency, there were jewels and jewellery, ancient books and parchment, and there on a low shelf, something was wrapped in a black cloth, it was almost invisible in the dim light of the vault.

 

He reached out to touch it, the cloth was soft and the item wrapped up in it was hard, he picked it up, it had a fair bit of weight to it, carefully removing the cloth revealed a beautifully crafted box with silver inlay, decorative hinges and a simple clasp. He sat on a carved stone bench and rested the box on his knees and opened it, inside was a shallow stone bowl, runes were carved all around its edge, Harry recognised it as a Pensieve, an idea popped into his head, instead of giving her a material gift, he could give her memories.

 

When he was fed up of the goblin making impatient noises just outside the door, he packed the Pensieve away and stepped out of his vault and into the cart. Outside the bank, he leant against a marble column, basking in the warmth, drinking in lungfuls of fresh air.

He returned to the Leaky Cauldron to floo back home, first he took the Pensieve to the living room and placed it on a small table for later, then he returned to the kitchen, limited mostly by ability, or lack thereof, he called on Kreacher to help prepare food for his dinner date with Narcissa, Harry thoroughly enjoyed her company, they usually talked and played card games.

 

The table was set when Narcissa entered, Harry was uncorking a bottle of wine, the welcome was warmer and friendlier, this had become a regular occurrence and they both looked forward to it above all else, not that it was actually given a voice, it took a great deal of effort for Harry to keep his excitement in check, he had a feeling she was in the same situation.

She sat herself at the table and took the offered glass of wine, he sits down opposite and they chat about the minutiae of the day. Dinner was consumed in companionable silence, Harry found himself stealing glances at the woman opposite, he couldn't deny that she was beautiful, over the time since their unconventional friendship began, he had also noticed subtle changes and he enjoyed those the most, she was relaxed, and acted naturally, the pure blooded haughtiness appeared less often, she retained the intensity of her Black lineage, and revealed a side of herself so far removed from her usual icy demeanour.

 

As was customary, they retired to the living room for a few more drinks, but tonight there would be no card games, she made herself comfy in her favoured chair, he provided the drinks and placed the table holding the Pensieve between them, curiosity burnt in her blue eyes.

 

“I wanted to do something for you, after you gave me the tapestry, I was compelled, of course, I couldn't think of anything, and then I found this in my vault at Gringotts” he gestured to the stone basin

“There's no need Harry, I hadn't expected anything in return”

“I know, but I wanted to, I'm not sure how good an idea this is, but I thought I would share some of my memories with you”

“I am quite proficient at Legilimency”

“No thanks, I had a very bad experience with that at the hands of Snape, and with the Pensieve we can view the memories together, it seems like the better choice”

“How can I argue with that” she flashed a smile at him causing his heart to skip.

 

He hadn't actually given this a lot of thought, but he had selected a memory that he hoped would be of interest to Narcissa, he touched his wand to his temple and as he drew it away a luminescent silvery thread was attached to the tip, he placed it in the bowl. Ladies first, and then Harry followed, they stood together in Dumbledore's office, the Headmaster sat at his desk while an irate Severus Snape paced back and forth.

The conversation between the two wizards didn't last long and soon the spectators were back in Grimmauld Place.

 

“Dumbledore knew about the Dark Lord's plans for Draco, he trusted Snape without question, I always thought Bella's mistrust of Severus was jealousy, I went to his house with Bella and we made an unbreakable vow so I could protect my son, I was shocked when he agreed”

“Severus Snape was a remarkable man, I know what to show you next”

 

Harry removed several strands of memories and placed them in the bowl, he was equal parts scared and excited, this was one of his biggest secrets.

The pair were standing in a park, two girls were playing on the swings, the girls were arguing until startled by the appearance of an oddly dressed, black haired young boy, the scene changed, they were laying by a lake and the boy was talking animatedly, next they were boarding the scarlet steam engine for their first term at Hogwarts, the friendship remained intact despite the boy being a Slytherin and the girl a Gryffindor.

As much as he loved seeing his mother and father, he knew what was coming and a knot formed tight in his stomach, the succession of memories showed his mother pleading with Severus not to join the death eaters, his father, Sirius and Lupin humiliating him, with Lily coming to his defence. That was the memory in which he called her a mudblood, their friendship was no more.

 

Back in the living room, Harry's face felt hot, it was much more emotional than he had anticipated, Narcissa looked stunned, she leant across and tenderly cupped his face with her hand, her skin was cool and soft, he let his eyes drift shut.

 

“Severus grew up with your mother, and loved her his whole life?” She whispered the question

“Yes, he risked everything to try and save her”

“No one knew he was a half blood?”

“I don't think so”

“Thank you for showing me” he nodded and managed a weak smile

“For a Slytherin, he had an awful lot of Gryffindor courage”

“Bella was right about him all along, she never kept quiet about it, but the Dark Lord wouldn't hear a word against him”

“Voldemort is a half blood too, his father was a muggle, from a rich muggle family, his mother's family lived in the village, she fell in love with him but her feelings were not returned so she ensnared him using Amortentia”

 

Narcissa's eyes widened in surprise, eager to find out more, they spent the rest of the evening watching Harry's memories.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Peace Hath Her Victories**

 

“Harry? Harry?”

 

His chin was resting against his chest, he didn't remember dropping off, he slowly opened his eyes, Narcissa was gazing at him inquisitively.

 

“You weren't asleep, but you were miles away, a knut for your thoughts”

“I was thinking about the night we spent with the Pensieve”

“That was a good night, I could scarcely believe what you showed me, anyway, I'm sorry for pulling you out of your thoughts but I was thinking about food, are you hungry?”

“Not really, you?”

“Perhaps I'll have something in a little while” she bit her bottom lip and looked at him lasciviously

 

She sat up suddenly and repositioned herself onto his lap, draping her arms around his neck, she nibbled on his ear and kissed his neck.

 

“Tell me you love me” he capitulated “tell me you want me” again he submitted to her request, she kept her voice seductively low, he complained loudly as she stood and moved back “then come and get me”

 

Narcissa fixed her blue eyes on him, he looked back at her with lust flaring in his green eyes and then she disapparated. He cursed the unfairness of it to the room at large, her tactics were just so, well Slytherin, he sucked in a deep breath and set off to locate her, the game was on.

He headed out into the entrance hall and climbed the grand staircase to the floor above, long corridors stretched off in each direction, with no idea where Narcissa's room was, he chose a direction at random, and set off looking for any clues that may point to her location. Halfway towards the first door he stopped dead and pressed his palm to his forehead, he took out his wand and cast 'Homenum Revelio' with her location revealed he turned on his heel and walked off in the opposite direction.

He entered her room, if he had been asked to describe the bedroom, Harry wouldn't have the faintest idea, he only had eyes for the woman lying in the middle of the bed, she was obviously naked, covered only in thin sheets that hugged her shape perfectly, accentuating each curve. Unable to tear his eyes away from her, uncooperative fingers attempted to remove his own clothes.

 

“You cheated”

“You didn't say magic wasn't allowed, um, this isn't the room you shared with....”

“No! Do try not to kill the mood, this is my room”

“Sorry”

 

Sliding in beside her she turned to face him and pressed her body up against his, his hands travelled a slow path around her body and up into her hair, he slowly moving in for a kiss and she closed her eyes in anticipation. In their time together she noticed that they were very well matched as lovers, both happy to submit or dominate depending on their mood or need.

She kissed him fiercely, he caught her bottom lip with his teeth which caused the blonde woman to let out a small moan, he seized this small advantage and claimed her mouth with his tongue, she flexed her nails across his back, he let out a small yelp of pain and pulled back to look at her, they lock their eyes on each other, she wasn't the least bit sorry, she slowly ran her tongue over her lips and winked salaciously at him.

Not to be outdone, he kissed her moistened lips with renewed vigour, moving along her jaw and down her neck, he stopped at her pulse point, sucking gently, she threw her head back offering all of her neck to him, he lingered there awhile before trailing hot kisses across her chest and stomach, her pale skin was flushed, and thin sheen of sweat caught the light and made her glisten.

 

He pushed his arms straight, holding himself above Narcissa, he would occasionally take a few moments to enjoy this view, when he first did it she had felt shy and self conscious, but now she enjoyed his attentions, hungry green eyes took in every detail, he wet his lips, the slight salty tang lingered from kisses placed on her glistening skin. Pleading blue eyes go unnoticed, a leg hooked round his waist and arms wrapped around his shoulders, nails scraped long red paths down his back, she was successful in pulling their bodies back together, moans of pleasure vibrate against his neck, muffled, she revelled in his tenderness, and despite the slow pace, it was no less intense.

When Narcissa craved control, she was wild and vocal, nothing at all like Ginny, Harry couldn't help compare, as she was the entire scope of his sexual knowledge, and compared to this fabulous woman, well, in truth, there was no comparison.

 

Eventually they had some time out for food and drink, with their thirst and hunger sated, the appetite for each other was not. Narcissa had once told Harry that he made her feel like a horny teenager, something she had never really experienced in her youth due to the restrictions of her upbringing, she did not appreciate him laughing, once he explained that he'd never expected to hear those words from her mouth, coupled with a few placating kisses thrown in for good measure, she stopped sulking.

 

Harry enjoyed the rare moments in which Narcissa opened up to him, he would always reciprocate, she kept her feelings well guarded while he would freely give a little bit more of himself to her, and in doing so, the often rare moments became less so.

Something had awakened in the blonde witch, she was frequently inappropriate, not that Harry minded in the least, but the change was sometimes so profound he almost had to do a double take. For years he had never ever seen her smile, granted, he had only ever seen her a few times, now he lived for her smile.

 

Finally spent, happy and satisfied they fell asleep, limbs wrapped around each other and tangled in sheets. In the morning Harry woke Narcissa up with gentle kisses, this was an act that she proclaimed she could very quickly become accustomed to.

 

“Stay with me today, Draco and Astoria are coming round, what better time to tell him” Harry looked nothing short of horrified

“I was hoping we could put that off as long as possible”

“You still need to offer him his promotion, so we can start with that, and when the moment is right, tell him about us”

“I'm not so sure” she propped herself up on her elbow to look at him properly

“This is important to me, please”

“How could I ever say no to you, probably shouldn't have said that out loud, I guess I'll have to trust you not to abuse the power you have over me”

“Would I?”

“All signs would point to yes” she put on her best look of mock hurt with a hand over her heart, the devilish smirk and fluttered eyelashes ruined the overall aesthetic, Harry rolled his eyes at her and threw himself back heavily onto the mattress.

 

When they eventually got out of bed and dressed, most of the morning had gone, they ate a very late breakfast. Harry had Kreacher bring him the paperwork for Draco's promotion, he was going to go back and get it himself, but Narcissa was unwilling for them to be parted, and he liked that side of her a lot.

As the time moved inexorably closer to Draco's arrival, every nerve in his body was on high alert and his stomach felt like it was on a washing machine spin cycle. They were sat together on a sofa in a cosy side room.

 

“Doesn't your hair ever do as its told” she laughed while half heartedly attempting to tame it

 

A noise from the direction of the door made the pair flinch and pull apart, both looking more than a little guilty. She composed herself in seconds, she stood and crossed the room to hug her son, she turned to the young woman at his side and they gave each other a friendly peck on the cheek. The introductions were made, Harry shook Astoria by the hand, and they sat back down at a small circular table, an elf appeared bearing a large tray of refreshments.

 

“I wasn't expecting to see you here, Potter” ever since they first met, Draco's distinctive drawl hadn't changed one bit.

“Be nice Draco, I invited him, he's here as my guest” the Malfoy heir raised his eyebrows but said no more

 

Astoria seemed to be a very pleasant woman, she smiled warmly at Harry and talked animatedly to him and Narcissa while Draco looked on in mild annoyance. Every now and again Narcissa gave Harry's knee a reassuring squeeze underneath the table, the contact became more and more frequent, until her hand was staying on his leg for longer, he caught her eye and saw the look of mischief on her face, thankfully Draco and Astoria didn't notice.

He found himself wondering what on earth the blonde was thinking, he didn't have to wait long to find out, her hand returned, warm on his leg and moved slowly upwards, her nails dragged teasingly up his inner thigh, he jumped a tiny amount, the sudden jerk made his chair scrape loudly on the wooden floor, Draco's eyes narrowed with suspicion, and Harry felt a flush of heat on his cheeks, Narcissa was the picture of innocence.

 

“A little jumpy aren't we Potter?” what he wouldn't give to wipe the smirk off Draco's face

“Just a touch of cramp in my leg” he rubbed his calf to keep up the pretence and shot Narcissa a dirty look

 

Harry set his chair back and sat down, the quartet picked up the conversation from where they left off, Astoria, a highly skilled healer at St Mungo's, was regaling them with stories of the more bizarre and amusing things she'd dealt with during her time there. Even Draco cracked a smile after a particularly entertaining story of emergency wand removal.

 

“All this talk of work reminds me, I have something work related to talk to Draco about, but I left the paperwork in the library, please excuse me for just a moment”

 

Harry stood and left the room, he crossed the vast entrance hall and found the library, the door clicked shut behind him. He searched the tables near the collection of chairs dotted around the large fireplace, he could have sworn this was where he had left it, walking between the towering shelves, he looked for the small desk he had seen once in passing.

He neared the back of the room and saw it a little bit further down on the right, he had a cursory look through the papers littered across it, so wrapped up in his search he failed to notice that he was not alone. Pale arms snaked around his waist, anticipating a fairly violent reaction of surprise, the arms held him with an unexpected amount of strength, the hands roamed up to his chest and laid flat, she could feel his heart hammering against his ribcage.

 

“You scared the shit out of me”

“Watch your language, I didn't mean to scare you”

 

Narcissa circled round until they were face to face, she jumped back to sit on the desk top, papers scattered all over the floor, she pulled him closer with her legs, now she had him right where she wanted him, she grabbed a handful of shirt and pulled him into a kiss, once Harry had recovered from his initial shock, he kissed her back with just as much passion. Her hand found the back of his head, the points of her nails set off a prickling sensation across his scalp, he gently placed his warm hands on her hips and slid them around to the small of her back, she likes being kissed there, so he traced his fingers gently over that spot.

 

An almighty bang rattled the windows, the two lovers sprang apart, green eyes and blue eyes turn to the source of the noise, Draco looked apoplectic, red sparks fired intermittently from the tip of his wand, which he was gripping so tight his knuckles were white and they could see the remaining colour draining from his pale face.

 

Another bang, nowhere near as loud as the first, caused Harry to slam backwards against the shelf, he slid to the floor grunting in pain, he picked himself up, extracted his wand and cast a simple shield charm. Narcissa whispered a barely audible plea for him to not hurt her son causing a severe crisis of conscience. He forced himself to swallow his pride, he would let Draco vent his anger, he was confident in his defensive abilities and his feelings for the beautiful witch mattered more than scoring a few points against his old rival, who, in all fairness, had every right to be angry.

Straightening his glasses, he stepped away from the bookshelf, he walked out into open space and stared into Draco's cold grey eyes, Harry could see the anger flashing in them. Several spells were cast in quick succession and bounced harmlessly off Harry's shield, a vase shattered, a painting became dislodged, much to the displeasure of its occupant. Harry cast a few simple hexes, not intended to hit his target but cast with enough power to force his opponent on the defence.

 

“I'll make you pay for whatever charm you've used on my mother, fight me Potter, or are you just a coward” flecks of spit flew from his mouth as he shouted the words

“There is nothing cowardly about not wanting to hurt someone”

 

The growing sneer across Draco's face was twisted, ugly and full of hatred, Harry recast his shield charm, stronger this time, a few beads of sweat betrayed the fatigue of the angry young man, spell after spell flew from the tip of Draco's wand only to be rendered impotent by Harry's shield charm.

 

“Draco! What in merlin's name is going on?”

“Stand back Tori, this is between me and Potter”

 

He sent a few more jinxes towards Harry to no avail.

 

“Tell me what this is about or I swear you'll be sleeping on the sofa until I decide otherwise”

 

His wand arm droped slightly after sending one last, half hearted spell towards the black haired man. Narcissa walked over and stood next to Harry. With Draco momentarily distracted by his furious wife, his mother took the opportunity to quietly thank Harry, she gave him a peck on the cheek and he felt uncomfortably hot all of a sudden, the blonde witch chuckled softly, and playfully pinched his backside, the woman was totally inappropriate.

 

Astoria's voice cut through the silence “So?” she crossed her arms across her chest, Draco had the good sense to look a little ashamed

“I caught Potter violating my mother, he has obviously bewitched her” she looked incredulously at her husband.

“Violated?”

“He was kissing her, it amounts to the same thing” he looked like a scolded child complete with pout

 

A gentle tap on his arm and Harry tuned out of the brewing domestic to look at Narcissa.

 

“While it's like this perhaps it would be best if you went home and I'll deal with this”

“I don't want to leave you”

“That's sweet, but I can deal with this, Astoria will help”

 

With no reason to argue with the woman, her eyes flicked to the room's other two occupants and then back to Harry, they kissed and then he headed to the fireplace. As he's walking towards the fireplace he heard his name and he couldn't help eavesdrop.

 

“Draco, I highly doubt Harry would do anything to your mother, or are you forgetting what a powerful witch she is?

 

Draco mumbled something unintelligible, Astoria ignored him and continued

 

“You said yourself that she had been miserable stuck in this place, then all of a sudden she was happy, you said she was like a new woman” she poked him hard in the shoulder as if to emphasise her point “I think it's great, there hasn't been a union between the Potters and Blacks for over fifty odd years, you should be happy for her”

 

Harry couldn't believe his ears, he never thought that Draco's wife would be fighting in his corner, feeling strangely uplifted by what he had just heard he stepped into the green flames and returned home. He stopped by his tapestry room, the link between himself and Narcissa had fully formed not that long ago, but that was not why he was here, he walked back through the decades until he saw two names, Charlus Potter and Dorea Black, it seemed that Astoria was spot on and was surprised he hadn't noticed before, after all, he had spent a lot of his spare time poring over the tapestry.

He stepped into the living room and poured himself a drink, he set his wand and glass on the table and sat himself down, picking up that day's Daily Prophet. There was nothing in the paper that really grabbed his attention so he threw it onto the chair opposite, unable to quash his anxiety and restlessness, he stood, picked up his drink and walked over to the window to look out onto the square outside.

As he gazed into the middle distance sipping at the amber liquid and savouring the burn, he smiled to himself, it seemed that every time Narcissa had come to visit she would find him staring out of this window, he found it relaxing, Kreacher popped in, muttered something and popped out again, Harry just shrugged his shoulders at the world in general.

 

Trusting his instincts had served Harry well in the past, he was no longer alone.

 

“Evening Draco, have you come to kill me?” he turned to his guest, he stood in the doorway, his wand pointed right at Harry's chest “How did you manage to get away from your wife and mother?”

“Still so cocky, you don't even have your wand, the manor is a big place, I stormed off to cool off, I had no end of opportunities to slip into a vacant fireplace”

“Can I get you a drink? It's Fire Whiskey, I assume it's a good one, it came from your father's liquor cabinet” the anger flared in Draco's grey eyes and his wand arm twitched

 

Harry moved over to the drinks cabinet and the wand trained on him followed his every move, he fetched a second glass and poured out a generous measure.

 

“You think you're so fucking funny Potter”

“Kiss your mother with that mouth?” he regretted the words as soon as he said them, visibly shaking with rage, Draco shot a spell at Harry leaving a nasty cut across his cheek, a small amount of the fire whiskey he held splashed over the rim of the glasses, he placed them down and wiped blood from the stinging cut.

 

Harry could feel his own anger rising, he strode over to Draco who was too slow to react, he stood there wide eyed as he's grabbed by the arm and dragged to a room opposite. He was roughly shoved over to Harry's section of the tapestry.

 

“Look, I assume you've seen this kind of tapestry before, tell me what you see”

“That's not possible” Draco had all but gone limp. “It's still wrong to drag my mother into a sordid affair, don't you think her reputation has suffered enough”

“What are you on about?”

“You, carrying on with my mother and then you head home to fuck the weasel”

 

Harry took a deep, steadying breath, feeling glad that his wand was in the other room as the temptation to cause Draco some serious harm was overwhelming.

 

“Remember the day I had the Minister in my office?” He just nodded “that was so he could finalise my divorce, he dealt with it personally” it was almost funny watching Draco unravel before his eyes.

“I divorced her because I wanted to be with Narcissa”

“I should have noticed, it's all so obvious now” this statement had Harry confused

“What do you mean?”

“My job, the Auror's looking after my mother, it was all too good to be true” his voice was full of bitter resentment

“I thought you loved your job”

“I do, but I fooled myself into thinking I got it on merit, and that mother's name was worth something and that's why she had preferential treatment”

 

Harry felt the conversation getting away from him, so he concentrated on the parts he did understand.

 

“All my staff choices have to go through Kingsley, I gave him several candidates each time an assignment came up, you _**were**_ chosen because you are the best choice, so get over yourself”

 

Draco might not want a drink, but Harry needed his and returned to the living room, Draco drifted along behind him, he shoved the second glass into an unresisting hand and sipped from his own.

 

“As for the Aurors, I requested them before anything happened between Narcissa and myself (Harry wasn't at all comfortable referring to the woman as Draco's mother all the time) but Kingsley decided that she was no longer at risk and pulled all the funding, so I fund it”

“Why?” all the fight had been knocked out of him it seemed

“She protected me, I want to protect her”

 

The young blonde man collapsed into the nearest chair and took a big gulp of his drink, shuddered slightly at the intensity of it and coughed violently, Harry slapped him on the back until he was able to get it under control.

 

“I have also put your name forward to take the place of that miserable old fossil when he leaves, that's if you're interested? Make no mistake, I'm not doing it to put your nose out of joint, I had to give Kingsley the best, annoyingly it happens to be you”

“Purvis is leaving? Thank fuck for that, everyone hates him, but that would make me your second in command” Harry just nodded while Draco finished his drink, more carefully this time.

“No need to make your mind up now, just ask your mum for the paperwork, I couldn't find it and then I was distracted”

“I'm still not happy about this Potter, Tori is furious with me, mother wasn't best pleased either, will you come back to the manor? It might get me out of some of the shit I'm in”

“I wasn't expecting acceptance quite so quickly” Harry grinned into his drink

“I wouldn't go that far, so will you come back?”

“Fine, but I'm coming back because, well, just because, it's purely coincidental that it also benefits you”

 

With a temporary truce declared, the two men headed to the kitchen to floo back to Malfoy Manor.


	9. Chapter Nine

Fully expecting to step out into the library of the manor, Harry was surprised to step out into a completely unfamiliar room. Posters of the Montrose Magpies Quidditch team adorned the walls, this must be Draco's room, typical that he should support the most successful team in league history.

It wasn't a bad looking room, black, silver and green decoration, a Slytherin through and through, everything looked expensive, each piece of furniture was probably worth a small fortune, the centre of the room was taken up by a sizeable bed, even with Harry's limited experience in visiting the homes of the pure-blood rich and infamous, he noticed that all bedrooms followed the same pattern, insanely opulent, with an enormous bed in the middle.

 

“Nice room”

“Thanks Potter, please tell me you're going to do something about that cut on your face”

 

Harry had completely forgotten about it, spotting the mirror he headed over to assess the damage, it was pretty superficial but had bled a lot, his attempt at wiping his face earlier had just made it worse, blood was streaked back towards his ear and had run down his neck and stained the collar of his shirt. He cleaned away the blood, the cut now an angry red mark, in the muggle world it may have required butterfly stitches, he had half a mind to just leave it and make Draco squirm.

 

“You do know how to heal it right?” drawled the voice, not quite disguising the note of panic

“Of course I know, but chicks dig scars” he tried hard not to laugh and was half expecting to be hit with a hex at any minute

“I don't think my mother would appreciate being referred to as a 'chick' and would prefer you to be scar free, aside from the obvious, there is no need to be such a bastard about it, and if you think you're getting an apology you can forget it, now fix your face”

 

Harry felt a little guilty for winding him up, but Draco needed knocking down a peg or two, it would be good for him, and with a resigned sigh he neatly fixed the cut.

 

“I'm interested in hearing how you're going to explain these turn of events to your wife and mother, if Narcissa is anything to go by, Astoria won't be easily fooled either”

“Don't you worry about me Potter” was that a touch of fear Harry saw on Draco's face

 

The blonde man stormed over to the door and yanked it open, Harry nodded his thanks and stepped out into one of the manor's vast hallways. Harry followed him in silence, glancing at the occasional portrait, distinctive blonde hair and pointed features sneered down at him, a stern looking man tutted at him, feeling a childish urge Harry stuck his tongue out at him, sounds of disgust followed the two men down the corridor, Draco showed no sign that he had noticed. He stopped suddenly and Harry walked into the back of him.

 

“Watch where you're walking Potter for merlin's sake, just wait here a moment”

 

Loathe to do anything Draco Malfoy asked of him he just nodded, the door was opened and he just stood in the doorway, two female voices fell silent

 

“Draco, where have you been?” to the untrained ear the question would sound completely innocent.

“Um, well I went to cool off for a bit, and realised I'd been a bit of an arse” he coughed “then I thought I could do something about it”

“What did you do?”

 

Sensing immediate danger he stepped back and Harry was shoved roughly into the room, he snapped his head back round to give Draco a disapproving look. The room was small and cosy, the women sat opposite each other in front of a large fireplace sipping tea, Astoria smiled at him, Narcissa, having overcome her surprise was looking at him, her blue eyes twinkling, she patted the space beside her and Harry happily went and sat next to her.

 

Draco sat down next to Astoria, seemingly forgiven she put an arm around his waist and leant up against him. Not to be outdone, Narcissa brought her legs up onto the sofa and lay them across Harry's lap, resting herself against the arm of the chair, Astoria beamed at the older woman, who smiled back.

The conversation resumed right where it left off and quickly swung round to shoes and clothes, Draco looked completely impassive, years of pure blood upbringing, no doubt, Harry thought it was probably from having to suffer through endless social gatherings, he almost felt sorry for him, almost. Boredom was creeping in, occasionally Draco saw fit to add a view or opinion, Harry was impressed, not that he'd ever tell the ferret that.

Narcissa flexed her legs, stretching a little and giving Harry an idea at the same time, he surreptitiously warmed his palms and placed them on her bare shins, he started to work the muscles in her calves just the way she liked, it was a perfectly acceptable action, nothing lewd, but he knew that it had quite the effect on his witch, maintaining an air of indifference he continued to knead and caress each calf. Satisfied with his work, he shifted to the side slightly and Narcissa offered him a dainty foot, nails painted a deep red, a stark contrast to her pale skin, the flow of conversation didn't falter at all, but when Astoria was talking he noticed that she gently chewed on her bottom lip, suppressing a chuckle he rubed the sole of her foot and she placed the other in reach, lest it be forgotten.

 

“Narcissa, are you all right?” she snapped to attention, a pink flush on her cheeks

“Sorry, what? I just drifted for a moment” she glared at Harry

“Draco and I are going to head home, I was thanking you for an eventful day”

“Eventful, well I guess that's one way to describe it” she gave Draco a withering stare

 

The lady of the house reluctantly extricated herself from the sofa and Harry's touch, she hugged them both and bade them goodnight, Draco grunted a perfunctory 'see you at work then, Potter' which earned a reproachful look from his wife, Harry got a one armed hug and a peck on the cheek. With the guests gone, Harry turned back to Narcissa.

 

“Shall we have dinner before it gets too late?”

“No, you can finish what you started, once you've massaged the rest of me you may eat”

 

With head held high and acting every bit the over privileged pure blood, she swished her hair over her shoulder and walked away.

 

“I'm starving, what makes you think I'm just going to bend to your will?”

 

She didn't even grace him with a response, instead she just beckoned him with her finger. An internal struggle broke out within Harry, the desire to eat and the desire to please a certain woman, who blithely assumed he'd go running after her without a thought. Unable to resist he hurried after her, deciding that there was no one around to witness his weakness, therefore it was perfectly fine.

 

The next morning at breakfast Harry got summoned to work, he quickly finished off his breakfast, the time he saved was then spent on a long drawn out goodbye, after much kissing and assurances that he'd see her very soon, he left for work, leaving the blonde alone to contemplate activities for the day.

 

What Narcissa really needed was someone to talk to, she shuddered inwardly at the thought of seeking out the portrait of Bellatrix, and imagined how a conversation with her would go.

 

“Hi Bella, by the way, we lost the war, I lied to the Dark Lord, Potter wasn't actually dead, Molly Weasley killed you, and now I'm romantically involved with the very person who brought about the Dark Lord's downfall”

 

It really didn't bear thinking about. She thought about her eldest sister often, she even missed her, she wasn't nearly as deranged as people were led to believe, they had a strong bond and shared everything, she missed that connection now more than ever. Andromeda wasn't an option either, Narcissa had been complicit in hiding Bellatrix from the world after her escape from Azkaban, and in turn Bella almost single handedly took from Andi everything she held dear, leaving her to care for a young, parentless child, turning up on her doorstep would only lead to another conversation that could only end in disaster, with Harry being Teddy's godfather, she wouldn't do anything that might make her estranged sister stop Harry from fulfilling his role, Narcissa knew how much he cared for the little boy, she quite liked that side of him, the way he got excited and more animated while talking about him.

 

Lost in a daydream about Harry's potential as a father, Narcissa mentally shook herself, they hadn't touched on the subject of their future. She was convinced that it wasn't just a fling, at the beginning she had enjoyed the buzz of being wanted by a much younger man, she felt alive and free in ways she never imagined possible.

As time went on she found the time outside the bedroom as much fun as the time in the bedroom, she found it easy to relax around him, to be herself, he made her laugh and constantly surprised her, unlike Lucius, he was genuinely interested in her, curious about everything, he introduced her to muggle card games, which she was very good at, and a muggle word game called Scrabble, she was pretty good at that too, he was a very gracious loser.

 

In return she dug out old family albums and talked in depth about her childhood and her time at Hogwarts, she couldn't avoid talking about Bella, and she remembered how he had taken her hand and told her that he could handle Bella providing it was before the madness, and subsequently treated them like two separate people. On occasion she would play Wizard's Chess, this allowed Harry to claw back a few victories, Narcissa did not like losing.

 

Still desperate to talk to someone, she racked her brains, sisters were not an option, but maybe there was another option, so obvious she had overlooked it but also for good reason, she remembered the circumstances, the conversations and the owls, before all contact was cut off, Draco would have been half way through his sixth year at Hogwarts and all correspondence had ceased once the war got under way.

Before her courage failed her, she hurried to her bedroom, fixed her hair and her clothes, put on a pair of sturdy heeled boots and left the room. Picturing her destination, she disappeared with a faint pop.

 

Appearing instantly in a clearing surrounded by woodland, reminiscent of the Forbidden Forest, ancient gnarled trees fought for space, and a well worn path wound it's way out to the north. The path was very overgrown, thorns clawed at her as she walked the path, she drew her wand to save her clothes, after slaying many a thorny branch, Narcissa emerged from the undergrowth and onto a fine gravel path, turning left she crunched along at a brisk pace.

After ten minutes of walking, cheeks flushed from the exertion, a hazy line could be seen in the distance, as her steps brought her closer, the hazy line came into focus, a high grey bricked wall, topped with ornate wrought iron railings, at the break, two columns rose higher than the wall supporting the massive gates, the metal work was skilfully crafted to look like a rose bush, replete with thorny branches and innumerable roses, made sinister by the black of the metal.

Without slowing or breaking stride Narcissa walked straight at the gates and passed right through, ancient yew trees lined the path and many beady eyes followed her progress, a large raven croaked out it's call setting off its brethren, she hurried on to escape the harsh cacophony.

 

The enclosed path came to a sudden end, a large fountain dominated the view, the melodic trickling of water a blessed relief, the ravens had since quieted. She turned her attention to the house, the word house didn't really do it justice, it was closer to a castle, there were towers and ramparts, the windows were arch shaped with leaded glass, the central window on the second floor was an impressive piece of stained glass, below that, imposing wooden doors with iron hinges and studding.

Circling around the fountain she slowly approached the front doors which swung silently open, the click of her heels seemed obscenely loud in the deathly quiet of the entrance hall. Confidently the woman climbed the stairs and entered a door on the left hand side, once inside she closed the door behind her. The room was small and dimly lit, a fire burned low in the hearth, a high backed chair, a small sofa, a desk and two waist high bookcases were the only pieces of furniture.

 

Narcissa hesitantly sat herself down on the small sofa.

 

“I told you not to come here” the voice had a raspy quality, probably through lack of use

“It's good to see you too Mother” she replied stiffly

 

The chair swivelled to face the blonde witch, and the chair's occupant gave her an appraising look, the firelight threw their faces into sharp relief. Now that the chair had moved Narcissa got her first proper look at the witch, she had aged well, her face was lined but it did nothing to diminish her classic beauty, her hair flowed over her shoulder and almost down to the floor, it was mostly black but streaked with white, her eyes were still in shadow and the reflected firelight flickered eerily in them.

 

“You are looking well”

“I don't know how you can tell in this dim light” she ignited the candles in the chandelier “You've hardly changed at all mother, and your self imposed isolation hasn't dulled your wits”

“I am hardly isolated, I frequently travel, always using polyjuice potion you understand, I can't afford to be recognised” she shifted in her chair and struck a low blow at her youngest daughter “How are you coping without Lucius?” anger at the question flared briefly in the blonde witch's eyes

“It was lonely at first, Draco has his own life and career, I have my reputation mostly intact along with all my assets, I keep myself amused”

“I read in the Prophet that the Potter boy defended you, even after Lucius' confession, I bet that helped your case no end”

“Harry, I mean, Mr Potter has done much for Draco and myself” she shifted under Druella's piercing gaze

 

In the silence that followed an awkwardness permeated the room, the long haired old woman clicked her fingers and an elf appeared and placed a tray of refreshments between the two women. Druella was as sharp as ever, she knew her daughter so well and Narcissa hated feeling like a small child vying for attention at her mother's knee. Self doubt barged in, unwelcome and uninvited, maybe this was a terrible idea, she didn't really know what to say to her mother or what she hoped to hear in return. Giving the impression of having read her mind, Druella broke the silence.

 

“You said that it was lonely at first, implying that you're not lonely any more?”

 

Narcissa would surely know if her mother was inside her head, with no response from her daughter forthcoming, Druella pressed on.

 

“Who is it I wonder? An occasional bed warmer, a little something to alleviate your boredom perhaps? A serious suitor? Come on Cissy, there's no need to be shy”

“Mother!” she shook her head in disbelief

“Cissy, I don't need to use Legilimens to know why you are here and what's on your mind, it's written all over your face, you want my advice or opinion on this lover of yours”

“I don't know what you're on about” her voice was strong as she attempted to hide behind denial

“Even if I didn't know my daughter better than anyone, the mark on your neck, that you so carelessly forgot to cast a glamour on, tells me all I need to know”

 

Narcissa instinctively reached up and ran her fingertips down the right hand side of her neck, knowing that she wouldn't actually be able to feel anything, there was nothing visible when she had been getting ready in front of the mirror, she conjured a small silver compact and flicked it open to check for the mark that betrayed her, Druella's distinctive laughter filled the room.

 

“You tricked me, I should have seen that coming, I can't believe you'd use such a cheap tactic”

“Would you prefer me to use Legilimancy? I didn't think so” she smirked at her daughter who looked positively livid “I'm all ears sweetheart, are you going to tell me about him?”

 

Narcissa opened and shut her mouth a few times trying to form the words, she reached for a drink as her mouth had just become completely dry, all the while Druella watched her with a quiet patience.

 

“It's Harry Potter” her mother, usually so hard to surprise, couldn't have looked more shocked if her daughter had slapped her in the face, the blonde witch smiled, happy to finally have the upper hand in this exchange.

“You despised the boy, his rivalry with Draco and his uncanny ability to humiliate Lucius, you even told me how you almost hexed him yourself “

“Yes mother, I despised the boy, but not the man”

“It still doesn't explain how you could abandon Lucius so easily, you were fiercely devoted to him, and you loved each other” Druella was fighting back for some control

“It wasn't easy Mother, once the Dark Lord returned everything changed, Lucius only cared about his status within the inner circle, and with his constant failures he was willing to sacrifice Draco, and in turn the Dark Lord used Draco as punishment for the sins of the father”

 

Narcissa was breathing heavily, she hadn't spoken aloud about this to anyone except Bella, and she just thought it was some great honour, she wondered if Bella had been a mother, would she have been so willing to send her own children to their death.

 

“He's married to the Weasley girl, I read about it in the paper, the social event of the year they called it, if I recall, no daughter of mine will be a mistress to a married man, you shame me Cissy” ice blue eyes flashed with anger

“Yes, he was married, we had an affair, but he divorced her for me, he never lied to me about his situation, I merely waited for my opportunity, you always said that as a Black, it's a case of taking what you desire, a philosophy Bella held dear. I think even you would have approved of his slow courting”

“He's a gentleman then” Druella let slip a derisive snort “it seems like you have it all in hand, what could you possibly need from me?”

“I'm beginning to wonder that myself” she locked eyes with the woman opposite

“I don't want to fight with you Narcissa, I've already lost two daughters, if he makes you happy, if you are happy, then what's the problem?”

 

It was difficult for her to stay mad with her mother, they had the closest relationship and despite clashing personalities, they were still close. The opening was there, the perfect time to give voice to her insecurities, but she was dragged back to being a child again, in the presence of this woman, in this house, it was not becoming for a daughter of the house of Black to show weakness of any kind. She was a grown woman now, pure blooded ideology long cast aside, she shook off the ghosts of her past to met her mothers inquiring gaze. She didn't know where to begin, the more she thought about it, the more trivial it seemed, embarrassing even.

 

“He's the same age as Draco, I'm old enough to be his mother, what if he wants to get married? Or start a family? What will the wizarding world think? He is the Boy-Who-Lived-Again, some things cannot be kept under wraps”

 

Druella sat and listened to her daughters fears, she didn't say a word, she just listening intently until Narcissa had finished. Rising elegantly from her chair, she sat herself next to her daughter and reached her arms around her, the blonde witch allowed herself to be held and rested her head against her mother, settling into the embrace just like she did as a young girl.

 

“Have you talked to him about this, about his intentions?” she was rhythmically stroking her daughter's long blonde locks, the head beneath her hand shook side to side “Then it would be reasonable to assume that he may be dealing with his own concerns and fears?” this time Narcissa nodded her head. “you may have lived longer than him, but you got your looks from me, you easily pass for a woman half your age, and I'm guessing he doesn't treat you like his mother” she couldn't even muster a disapproving rebuttal at her mother's obvious sexual connotation.

 

Many minutes ticked by and the blonde seemed content having her mother stroke her hair but was still unwilling to speak, her mother broke the silence hoping to prompt a response from her daughter.

 

“Is it serious?”

“I think so, I hope so, at first I thought it was just a bit of fun, I enjoyed the attention, I'd only ever known Lucius, and this is nothing like that, and I can't even begin to explain the change on the tapestry”

“The one you have at the manor?”

“Yes, I also had one made for him at Walburga's house, well it's Harry's house now, and that's the same”

“What does it show?”

“Us, him and I, linked, I wasn't surprised, after all it was the same with Lucius and I”

“It's not the same Narcissa, your link was because you were to be married”

 

She sat up to look her mother in the face

 

“What does that mean? There's definitely been no talk of marriage, I thought it was reflecting our growing relationship”

“I've no idea darling, but it can't be a bad thing” she laughed softly “You love him?”

“Yes I do”

“Then, for the love of merlin, you need to talk to him you silly girl, I wouldn't worry too much about what the wizarding world thinks, you know how the game of status works Cissy, the world has changed, Harry is very influential, many would accept anything he does, some would be pleased with a union between the houses of Potter and Black, the rest will just have to get over it”

 

Narcissa gave her mother a squeeze, she hoped it would express her gratitude more than words Druella always knew what to say to make things better.


	10. Chapter Ten

Harry left the manor via the front door, he was certain Narcissa had altered the wards enough for him to apparate in and out as he pleased but felt the need for some fresh air. The small detail of Aurors were preparing for the arrival of the day shift, he went over and had a little chat with them, they were young, it seemed that this was being used as part of their training, he was confident they could do their job and it was nice to see his money wasn't being wasted.

 

They were surprised and flattered to be worthy of a small slice of Harry's time, he still hated all of the attention but over the years had learned to deal with it, most of the time it was mistaken for modesty, he was modest and that seemed to spur people on, with no end of heavy hands clapping him round the shoulder and sycophantic voices heaping praise upon him.

His lack of love for the spotlight didn't stop him having time for people, the Aurors were only doing their job, and were well paid for doing just that, Harry wanted to let them know that he was grateful, the gesture was met with mild mannered confusion, after all they didn't know the importance of this seemingly boring assignment.

 

Kingsley had never raised a single question to Harry about his desire to keep Narcissa safe or his insistence to continue funding the Auror presence himself, long after the budget had been reassigned, that was something else he was grateful for, Harry had nothing but respect for the Minister, he had restored wizarding Britain's faith in the Ministry and everything was dealt with in Kingley's own ' firm but fair' approach to leadership.

 

Walking purposefully to the imposing metal gates, the wind picked up a little, pushing him on and making his robes billow out behind him, he gathered them back around himself to keep warm, he caught the faintest whiff of Narcissa's perfume, smiling broadly at the path ahead, he walked until he passed through the wards and vanished with a faint pop.

 

The streets around the Ministry of Magic were almost deserted, he chose to use the visitor entrance just because he could, the last time he'd used it was during his fifth year. He picked up the receiver and dialed 6-2-4-4-2, a melodic voice talked him through the available options and once keyed in, the floor shuddered slowly down into the vast atrium.

He made his way through the hustle and bustle of the atrium, memos flew overhead and after walking past a Daily Prophet vendor yelling out the headlines he reached the bank of elevators, stepping into the first one to become available, a familiar drawling voice called for it to be held, reluctantly he thumped the button and a slightly flushed Draco entered panting slightly.

 

“Draco”

“Potter”

“Your mother sends her love”

“Go fuck yourself”

“I really hope you get your promotion, genuinely, because I cannot wait to verbally spar with you every day, I see no way in which I'll tire of that”

“Sarcasm Potter, is that the best you've got?” Draco's arrogant swagger was starting to return

“Hey, you started it, I was just passing on a message, I'm not expecting a miraculous friendship to blossom between us, after all I wouldn't want you to make it too easy for me, if that happened I would definitely have to call you on your bullshit, but there is no reason why we can't just be civil” the blonde man let out a derisive snort

 

The lift came to a halt and Harry stepped out, Draco obviously had somewhere else to be, before the lift could leave he held the door open.

 

“You better get the promotion, I don't particularly care for the other candidates, you are clearly better qualified, maybe then you'll believe me when I say I'm not helping to further your career, Cheer up Draco, it could be worse”

 

He smiled at the scowling man in the lift, the grate slid shut and the lift disappeared from sight, he decided that from now on he would no longer antagonise Draco, for Narcissa's sake.

 

He walked slowly down a well lit, busy corridor, he was forced to acknowledge many well wishers and was glad when he found himself outside the Minister's office, he knocked on the door and a deep booming voice called him inside.

 

“Morning Minister, what can I do for you?”

“Morning Potter, thanks for coming so quickly, I have good news, the Middle Eastern Wizarding Hierarchy have finally agreed to replace the time-turners we lost during your unscheduled visit to the Department of Mysteries” a slight smile flickered on the face of the usually stoic man.

 

Harry didn't realise at the time, but when the Golden Trio and their three friends destroyed all of the time-turners during his fifth year, it had created a serious international incident, the Middle Eastern Wizarding Hierarchy, whose sole job it was to protect the fabled sands of time, had flat out refused to give up any of the sand to make new ones, the negotiations had gone on and on ever since.

 

“What made them change their minds?”

“I did, they never trusted Fudge's regime or his promise that nothing like that would ever happen again”

“Very well done Minister” the imposing man smiled and inclined his head towards Harry in acknowledgement

 

Kingsley placed a large box on his desk between them, at first glance it looked like a sandstone block, on closer inspection however, Harry could see there are runes carved all over it, he reached out to pick it up, expecting it to be as heavy as it looked he put a bit of effort into collecting it, startled by it's weightlessness and almost creating a second serious international incident, he clutched it tightly against his chest and smiled nervously at Kingsley, who looked like he was about to have a major coronary event, apologising profusely, Harry assured him that they would make it safely to the vault of time with no further mishaps.

 

Backtracking to the lifts, the previously bustling corridors were empty and in no time he was walking down the corridors of his domain, stepping into the blue lit octagonal room he tightly shut his eyes as the chamber span to reach its destination, several memories rearranged themselves, it was a sensation he didn't think he'd ever become accustomed to. The room he now entered hadn't changed much since the break in, the glass cabinets, now repaired, stood empty, he placed the box on a heavily warded display stand and tapped it three times with his wand. Golden beams of light criss crossed around the box and display, eventually surrounding it with what looked like a fine gold mesh. He reached out his hand to touch the box, the was a bright light and a crackle of electricity, he groaned and picked himself up off the floor, satisfied that no one would be able to tamper with it, Harry limped back to his office.

 

He didn't think it had been that long since he was last in here, the pile of letters on his desk said otherwise, after a considerable amount of sorting he had a pile of department mail, interdepartmental memos, junk mail and a surprising amount of personal mail. Harry felt a little bit guilty for ignoring Hermione's owls, he was pleased that she hadn't resorted to sending him Howlers, all of the personal letters were from her.

He skimmed through them, they all followed a similar theme and eventually he reached the most recent, it had today's date on it, apparently she had a free day and with a 'no time like the present' attitude he grabbed a quill and parchment and scribbled a hasty reply.

 

“Kreacher?”

“Kreacher is here young master, how may I be of service?”

“Deliver this directly to Hermione, please”

“Kreacher will deliver it to the muggleborn”

 

The elf disappeared with a click of his long fingers before he saw the disapproving look on Harry's face, although muggleborn was a vast improvement over his usual diatribe. With the mail and memos dispersed and the junk filed safely away in the bin, Harry left his office, he did the rounds and designated a few tasks to his subordinates, feeling happy that things would tick over nicely in his absence he made his way back home.

 

Stepping back out into muggle London, the light was almost painfully bright after the Ministry's dimly lit interior, he walked at a leisurely pace and descended the stairs into the subway, his progress was slowed considerably by the zombie like shuffling of the commuters. To pass the time he idly glanced over at the various advertising hoardings, the posters followed a rigid pattern of musical, charity and business, he wondered what Narcissa would make of Cats or The Phantom of the Opera. Some time later he emerged south of the river, looking back he could see Parliament, feeling the first drops of the coming rain he apparated to the square outside his house and went inside.

 

“Is that you Potter?” the front door hadn't even clicked shut

“Yes Mrs Black”

“That muggle girl you insist on being acquainted with is here” he groaned quietly to himself

“I hope you tried to be nice”

“I was _civil,_ you will be family soon enough, and that allows your friends a reprieve”

 

He could hardly believe that this was the same portrait who would scream expletives and slurs at every possible opportunity, Harry's efforts to restore some honour to the house of Black had obviously gone further than he ever could have hoped.

 

“Technically I'm family all ready” he ventured with a tiny amount of confusion

“I instructed her to wait for you in the living room, that was a few hours ago, Kreacher provided refreshments”

“Thank you, I'll talk to you later”

 

Slightly bemused at the conversation with his Godfather's mother he climbed the stairs and headed into the living room. Harry braced himself for an ambush that didn't happen, his best friend was curled up on the couch, a book lay discarded on the floor, her hands were limp but open as if still holding it, crossing the room, he reached out and shook her gently by the shoulder, her eyes flicked open.

 

“I had no idea you were here, you should have sent Kreacher to get me, I took the scenic route home”

 

She stood up and without warning began beating on his upper body in earnest.

 

“What the hell, Hermione, stop hitting me” he raised his hands in self defence

“I. Have. Been. Owling. You. For. Days. And. You. Ignored. Me” each slap punctuated each word

“I'm sorry, I've been busy” it sounded like a poor excuse but was enough to make the young woman stop her assault

“Apology accepted” he couldn't decide if he preferred the beating or the bone crushing hug

“I wasn't ignoring you, all my mail was sent to my office and I don't always remember to collect it”

 

While they made small talk Harry had the chance to have a proper look at his friend, she'd hardly changed, warm brown eyes, untameable hair, and a much more relaxed demeanour, she talked passionately about her students, her classes, her extra responsibilities as the Head of Gryffindor, typical that her working life was as hectic as her school life was. He felt honoured as she told him her free day was actually a requested holiday, which brought her neatly to a request for bed and board, with the aim of spending the weekend catching up, she'd also taken the liberty of inviting Ron, who unhelpfully told her that he'd be along if he could, it seemed like the Golden Trio could be united again for the first time in a long time.

 

Shaking his head at her presumptuousness, he was not annoyed in the slightest, in fact, it gave him a feeling similar to his imminent return to Hogwarts after having to suffer a holiday back with the Dursley's. Their eyes met, Hermione's face was a mask of worry, he assumed she feared overstepping the boundaries, unable to help himself he let out a snort of laughter, trying to suppress his mirth and failing, it fast became a full belly laugh, her worry slowly faded and a smile took its place and she grinned sheepishly at him.

 

“Well seeing as you are moving in and taking over, I'll show you what I've done with the place and show you to your room”

 

With that he led the way up to the top floor, walking down the landing he pointed out Kreacher's room before showing her the pristine bathroom, a far cry from the damp ridden mess it was during their few months here. He thought he may have to physically remove her from the room, she was looking at the immense bathtub with a deep longing.

Offering her full use of the facilities once she'd settled in was enough to get her moving, Harry threw open the next door, the very room he had used during Narcissa's first time sleeping over, since then it had been tastefully decorated, bright and neutral, perfect for any guests, Hermione was suitably impressed.

 

“Have you got everything you need?”

“My bag is down in the living room”

 

After all this time she was still using the little beaded bag with the undetectable extension charm, he couldn't help smiling at that.

 

“Can I see what you've done to the master bedroom, you can tell a lot about a person by looking at their personal space” she nudged him in the ribs with her elbow, he just sighed and rolled his eyes

“I suppose I can indulge your nosiness this once” she gave him a look of mock hurt

 

They walked a short way down the hall and Harry opened his door allowing Hermione to enter.

 

“What does my room say about me?”

“It says you are a Gryffindor, you're channelling your inner pure-blood, I have to confess I wasn't expecting you to be flying your house colours so boldly, Sirius would be proud but what is that?”

 

She marched into the room to get a better look at the bed, then turned her scrutinizing gaze to the drapes.

 

“I see, it all makes sense now, one question, did you decorate this room before or after things started with Narcissa?”

“After, I must stress that the room was fine, it just needed a little something”

“A little something to impress a pure-blood witch by the look of it, a lot of Gryffindor for him and a little Slytherin for her, you've got it so bad, it's actually quite sweet”

“Shut up and get out of my room” he stood to one side and pointed towards the hall, she skipped past him, giggling triumphantly “Have you seen her bedroom?”

“Yes”

“And what was that like?”

“I , um, can't remember, I was...distracted” Hermione wore a knowing smirk as Harry succumbed to bashfulness.

 

The pair made their way back to the second floor, instead of walking straight into the living room, Harry stopped suddenly by a closed door, Hermione looked at him questioningly.

 

“I want to show you something, I've not shown anyone before”

 

That wasn't strictly true, but Draco didn't count, Narcissa had given him the gift, she was allowed to see it, it felt right letting Hermione in on this, he loved her like a sister, she was as good as family in his view. He opened the door and they both stepped inside, the lamps burst into life.

 

“Harry, this is unbelievable, it's nothing like the one downstairs” he nodded at her as she walked around the room, taking it all in.

“Before you ask, Narcissa bought me this before anything happened between us”

“Speaking of Narcissa, I notice you are linked, very cosy” she traced the line with her finger

“Lets go back to the living room, I can tell you are dying to talk about how it happened”

 

Hermione sat back on the couch, Harry grabbed two butterbeers from the cabinet, popped open the top and handed a bottle to his friend, he sat down heavily in his chair and took a drink. Brown eyes watched him attentively, waiting patiently for him to start talking.

 

“What I didn't realise about this place, is that even though I am the recognised owner, it remains in the Black family, on a whim, and fed up of being alone in Malfoy manor, Narcissa came to visit her Aunt, and to see if there were any family items she could claim, what she didn't expect was to find me here.”

 

Hermione listened to her friend speak, sipping occasionally from the bottle in her hands, she was much amused to hear he got caught naked in the hall, and congratulated him on his ability to make an impression, red faced he pressed on, he talked about how they took turns making each other dinner, and how it progressed from there. He touched upon the game nights, elaborated on things when questioned, until the events caught up with the present.

 

“I'm still appalled that you cheated on Ginny, and with _her_ of all people, I wouldn't have thought you capable”

“I didn't plan it” he replied heatedly “I hadn't seen her for months, I can't even remember when we stopped writing, it became the norm, the Quidditch season would begin and she'd move back up to Wales, after that I wouldn't see or hear from her till the season ended, it's as much my fault as it is hers”

“I'm sorry Harry, I really don't want to lay guilt on you, I'm just so shocked”

 

A brief pause to take a drink, he relaxed his jaw, he couldn't blame her for feeling that way, like most people, she thought he and Ginny were destined to be together, and never in a million years would anyone have predicted these events.

 

“How did Ginny and the Weasley's take the break up?”

“Pretty well, Molly blamed herself for rushing us into it, I think Ginny was just relieved, after all I've lived through she just couldn't bring herself to end it”

 

A tension crept into the atmosphere, unwilling to let it settle, Hermione asked the question she'd been dying to know the answer to.

 

“Have you talked about what happened at the Manor?”

“A little” Harry shifted uncomfortably “We have an agreement to not dwell on the past, she just wanted to keep Draco safe, she had no idea what her sister was going to do, it was a selfish act that she regrets, but at the time, identifying us might have given her a certain immunity from Voldemort's unpleasantness”

 

Her face looked grim but her eyes conveyed a level of understanding, something he'd gotten used to during the time they spent travelling and destroying Horcruxes. Her expression softened and a smile formed on her lips, she had just the question to lighten the mood

 

“Speaking of her family, does Draco know about you two?” after a few moments of uncontrolled laughter, he regained enough breath to respond

“Oh yes, he caught us kissing in the Library, we duelled, it wasn't as exciting as it sounds, she asked me not to hurt him and Astoria made Draco back down, if you can believe that”

“She must mean a lot to you, the Harry I know would have just blundered in, it's nice to see you've finally grown up”

“Can I change my mind about you staying?” he grumbled

“No! You bloody well can't” she aimed a playful slap at him that he easily avoided

 

They finished their drinks and carefully placed the bottles on the table, for now the conversation was over, the silence comfortable, the brunette reached across and squeezed his hand.

 

“All that matters is that you're happy, no one can take that away from you”

“I am, I just hope Ron shares your way of thinking”

“It's still hard to swallow, I'm curious though, what is she like once you get past the icy, pure-blooded exterior?”

 

She almost wished she hadn't asked as Harry waxed lyrical about the woman in his life, Hermione had to admit that she had never seen him this animated, he exuded happiness, and it felt well deserved, when he eventually ran out of things to say, he took a breath.

 

“Do you know what I fancy?”

“You mean other than Narcissa Black?”

“Oh, that's very funny, really mature, I was thinking more along the lines of food, I want bacon and eggs, lets go to the kitchen and I'll make us a late lunch”

 

Hermione sat at the large table and Harry searched for a frying pan and some oil, soon the kitchen was filled with the sound of sizzling bacon. The door to the kitchen opened causing them both to turn toward the noise, a figure, ducking slightly to avoid hitting his head on the doorframe, stepped into the room. Harry and Hermione smiled broadly at the newcomer.

 

“Brilliant timing as always Ronald, I reckon he was just waiting for the smell of food before coming round”

 

Hermione got up from the table and gave the lanky ginger haired man a friendly hug, before they both took a seat back at the table, Harry lent half an ear to the pair chatting and catching up, Ron talked about the shop and Hermione brought him up to date with all the goings on at Hogwarts. He had to admit that he had missed them both terribly and it was a good feeling having them both here with him.

 

A loaf of bread, butter, knives, plates and condiments were placed on the table, followed by a large platter filled with crispy bacon and perfectly fried eggs, Ron's table manners were still shocking, if he was ever in a position to repeat this scenario with Narcissa present he would either need to have stern words with Ron, or just prepare his witch for the absolute worst.

 

“Anything new with you Harry?” he spoke, as usual, through a mouthful of food

 

Hermione gave him a pointed look and in his haste to swallow he found himself coughing and spluttering, the brunette thumped him firmly on the back, he thanked her, eyes streaming, to avoid the question a little longer Harry got up and fetched Ron a glass of water.

 

“Cheers mate, I needed that”

“No problem, How's the family, how's Ginny?”

“They are fine, Mum keeps hassling me to check in on you, make sure you're eating, you know, usual Mum stuff, no idea about Ginny, I think I heard Dad talking, she seemed to think it was for the best”

 

Harry felt a weight lift, he hadn't felt guilty per se, but it was nice to know she was moving on.

 

“Tell your Mum I'm eating just fine, I'm well looked after, although don't you make her think I'm not grateful that she cares”

“Ok, I'll get her off your case” Harry and Hermione shook their heads in unison, Ron knows nothing of tact

“Hurry up and finish Ron, I'm itching for a few rounds of Wizard's Chess, I've been practising”

“I admire your misplaced confidence, it will make victory all the sweeter”

“It's a good job I have some books to read and papers to mark, you two children will just have to keep the noise down” and with that she breezed past them and out of the room.

 

Ron and Harry couldn't help laughing together, it was just like the old days, Ron gave Harry a run down of all the latest Quidditch scores as they made their way to the living room. Hermione was already buried in a sizeable tome as the two men spilled into the room, only to be silenced by a brown eyed glare, guilty smiles mirrored on their faces.

The chessboard and pieces were retrieved from the sideboard, Ron had already picked his seat and moved the table into position. Harry realised quite early on that Narcissa was pretty dire when it came to Wizard's Chess, Ron was what muggles would refer to as a grand master, Harry threw in the towel after his fifth crushing defeat, he was finished off so swiftly, five games hardly seemed like anything.

 

“Yes, you won, no need to look so damn smug”

“You said you'd been practising”

“I should have said that I'd just been playing more”

 

Harry packed away the chess pieces and board, Ron leant back in the chair, linking his fingers and placing them behind his head, Harry scowled at him, he may feel like a bad loser, but there was such a thing as a bad winner.

 

“How are things going with that girl you were seeing?” Hermione appeared from behind her book.

“Not bad mate, just taking things slowly” unseen by Ron, Hermione gestured to Harry

“I'm seeing someone”

“Nice one mate, climb back on the broom, no point in dwelling on the past, is it anyone we know?”

“Her name is Narcissa” it took a lot of effort to keep his face neutral, he wondered how long it would take his friend to work it out

“Man, I don't think I could date a girl with the same name as Draco's mother, it's a bit close to home, still she's definitely a MILF but she birthed the ferret and that's a massive turn off”

 

Hermione's mouth was frozen in an 'O' Harry was at a complete loss, Ron's brain seemed to catch up with his mouth, the silence that followed was deafening.

 

“Shit, you're fucking Narcissa Malfoy aren't you?”

“It's Narcissa Black now” Hermione informed him in a barely audible squeak

 

Harry nodded slowly, Ron turned a brilliant shade of puce. The situation was explained to the hapless ginger, helped along by a few cheeky drinks, his initial shock turned to blokeish admiration fast enough to make anyone's head spin, Hermione could only manage to slowly shake her head at him, it had been a long time since they had experienced a 'vintage Ron moment' first hand. More than a little relieved to have both of his friends on side, the mood lightened in no time, aided by Harry's liquor cabinet. They reminisced about old times, raucous laughter spilled out from the room.

As it approached dinner time, Harry and Hermione begged Ron to stay, having promised to head home for dinner with the family, he politely declined, they all trooped down to the kitchen to see him off, after Ron's departure, the two remaining friends cooked a meal and decided to call it a night, parting with a hug before heading into their bedrooms, as the latches clicked into place, Grimmauld Place fell silent.


	11. Chapter Eleven

Narcissa decided not to stay with her mother that night, choosing instead to return to the manor, the thought of actually spending the night in that place filled her with dread, even the idea of sleeping in the room she'd grown up in was laughable, not that there weren't many other rooms to choose from, with each step she took away from Black Manor the less she felt like a scared child, the chill wind buffeted her face, her hair flowed out behind her, with each breath she felt more like her old self, it had been good spending time with her mother but perhaps next time she would invite her to Malfoy Manor instead.

 

She wanted Harry, unfortunately, Kreacher had informed her that the Golden Trio were having a little bit of a reunion and she wasn't quite ready to join in with that, with a resigned sigh she headed to her bed chamber. Too weary to bathe, opting to treat herself first thing in the morning, she carefully untangled her hair, the wind had not been kind, she enjoyed the mundane act of brushing out the knots before tying her hair up loosely, she shrugged off her clothes and slipped into an unflattering pair of silk pyjamas, there was little point in making an effort only to sleep alone.

In her bathroom she adhered to her nightly rituals, she looked over at her bed as if it was somehow to blame for her having to sleep by herself, she threw back the covers and climbed in.

 

Sleep was an elusive mistress, she lay awake, her rational mind whispered patience, when morning came and she was rested, she would go to Harry and all would be well, her irrational mind was screaming at her to punch patience right in the face, floo to Grimmauld Place and slip into bed with the man to whom she belonged.

As she lay still trying to quiet her busy mind she thought about what the future might hold, she wasn't against the idea of remarrying, in fact it appealed more than the first time, it would be her choice and she found that empowering, but children, that was something else entirely, once Lucius had an heir all further talk of children just disappeared, secretly she would have liked a girl.

She woke up suddenly not even realising that she'd fallen asleep, judging by the brightness bleeding through the thick curtains it was still early morning. She had been dreaming, it was a good dream, as she closed her eyes she could still see a little girl with black hair and green eyes.

 

(Scene Break)

 

Hermione woke in an unfamiliar room, the bed was vast and incredibly comfortable, she had slept well, as she moved there was a tiny reminder of her alcoholic excess, nothing a cup of coffee and something to eat couldn't fix, she shuffled to the edge of the bed, standing up to stretch away the remnants of sleep, her eye was drawn to a scrap of parchment tucked under the door, she crossed the room to retrieve it, unfolding it carefully, her eyes were met with a familiar scrawl.

 

_Hermione,_

_I've gone out, I shouldn't be too long, as always, make yourself at home._

_Harry._

 

Her mind wandered to the wonderful looking bathroom, she could almost feel her body relaxing after a long soak in that massive tub, but first food and drink, she pulled on a pair of shorts and a loose fitting shirt, she searched her bag for headphones and her portable music player, she plugged herself in and selected some tunes, after tucking the small rectangular object into her shirt's breast pocket, she left the room and made her way down to the kitchen

Once in the kitchen she raided the pantry, this morning she fancied pancakes, she put the ingredients on the side next to the cooker and searched for a mixing bowl and a frying pan. The coffee was a slightly trickier problem to solve, so she resorted to magic, one percolator, freshly ground beans, milk and sugar flew from their respective hiding spots and landed neatly on the sideboard.

 

Lost in the music she shimmied over to the sink to run the cold tap, the coffee percolator was old fashioned and looked like part of a mad scientist's chemistry set, she filled part of it up with water, placed the coffee in place and poked the burner with the tip of her wand, yellow flames appeared and slowly the water began to heat up.

She danced back over to the mixing bowl and made a rudimentary batter, stopping briefly to forage for fruit, pleasantly surprised to find a punnet of blueberries, adding the whole lot to the mix she oiled the pan and lit the stove. She sang along to a catchy tune as she waited for the oil to reach the correct temperature.

 

(Scene Break)

 

Narcissa rose gracefully from beneath the bubble laden water, her skin coloured pink from her toes to her neck, she liked her bath hot, she breathed in the heady aroma mingled with the steam, slim fingers grasped her towelling robe and she wrapped it around herself, tying the cord tight around her middle, she flicked her hair forward, deftly, she gathered it up in a towel and secured it atop her head, she stepped out into the relative cool of her bedroom and sat down at her vanity.

Firstly the head towel was removed, holding the material firmly in her hands she frisked her hair dry, she used it's residual dampness to make styling it easier, pleased with her efforts she stood and rested her left foot on the chair, she pu;;ed an ornate handle, a drawer slid noiselessly open and she removed her favourite nail polish and carefully painted her toe nails. With her feet done she sat back down and filed her fingernails before applying the glossy red paint to them.

 

She shrugged the robe from her shoulders and pulled the cord loose, it fell from her and hung over the back of the chair, she crossed to her dresser and selected a classy set of red lace briefs and matching bustier, she selected a figure hugging dress from the wardrobe and laid it on the bed to make it easier to remove it from its hanger, she stepped into it and slid it up her body, pleased with the fit she picked up her wand and fastened the zip.

Narcissa walked to her full length mirror and wondered whether or not the ensemble would look better with stockings, eventually the choice was made for her as she was unable to locate the suspender belt that matched her underwear, slightly frustrated that the summoning charm hadn't brought the elusive item out of hiding. Next came the choosing of footwear, she found one of her favourite pairs of open toed heels and placed them by the door, she returned to the vanity to apply a touch of make up, nothing too extravagant, she smiled at her reflection and gently pressed a tissue against her lips to blot any excess lipstick.

 

She slipped her shoes on and left her room, she quickened her pace as her impatience got the better of her, she strode purposefully across the vast entrance hall and into the library, she threw a handful of floo power into the flames and moments later she stepped out into Harry's kitchen.

The sight before her caused her to stop dead, the young woman in front of her was doing something that could loosely be referred to as dancing, she was also cooking, Narcissa inhaled deeply and instantly regretted leaving her house without eating, something smelt really good.

The Granger girl remained blissfully unaware of her presence, she cast an appraising eye over her appearance, she was barefoot, the shirt just about covered her backside, she couldn't tell if she was wearing shorts or just boy cut briefs, she experienced a flare of jealousy, she was not pleased to see so much of the muggleborn on display.

 

Narcissa was just considering leaving when Hermione turned round with a plate in her hand, the plate fell end over end before shattering on the tiles, brown eyes widened in shock as her jaw went slack, she fumbled for the headphone cord and yanked the earpieces loose, 'oh shit' was her first thought, followed by, 'how long had she been standing there?' She could feel the hot flush rising, she knew she'd been dancing, she was grateful she hadn't been singing, swallowing hard she attempted to wet her mouth and find her voice. Without uttering a word Narcissa withdrew her wand, the repaired crockery glided gently through the air back on to the side.

 

“Miss Black, I had no idea you'd be visiting today, I have the house to myself, Harry has just popped out and I was going to have a bath but needed a drink and some food, so I hadn't bothered to get dressed properly, I'm so embarrassed, please have a seat, can I fix you anything?

 

Her voice came out a little bit higher than she would have liked and she babbled like a fool, stuttering was kept to a minimum, she extracted her wand and with a few careful flicks adjusted her clothing to something a bit more appropriate for entertaining guests. The blonde took a seat at the table, Hermione's eyes were drawn to icy blue ones, Narcissa was pleased to hear that the girl was home alone, and saddened by Harry's absence, the girl's obvious nervousness was amusing, her manners were adequate, this could be an opportunity to mend a few fences, she had no issue with being civil, she wasn't quite ready to set the young woman at ease however.

 

“The coffee smells very nice Miss Granger, I would appreciate a cup”

“Of course”

 

With slightly shaking hands, Hermione found what she hoped would be a suitable mug for the pure-blood, she even remembered to ask how she took her coffee, unsurprisingly she had it black. As she served the drinks she took the opportunity to cast her eyes over at the older woman, there wasn't a single part of her that couldn't be described as immaculate, not a hair out of place, or a crease on her dress, she assumed that she dressed with Harry in mind, but Narcissa just looked so elegant and classy, Hermione felt slovenly in her presence.

 

“Miss Black?” she had picked up a copy of the Prophet and was flicking through, her perfect features impassive, her chin rested lightly on her hand, she looked up to meet the source of the question. “Would you like join me for breakfast? I'm making blueberry pancakes”

“Yes please, I didn't eat before I left, I was in a hurry, will Harry be back soon?”

“I'm not sure, he left me a note, it was vague”

 

The young brunette managed a weak smile and was glad to have it returned, the witch went back to browsing the paper, manicured red nails beat a quiet tattoo on the wooden tabletop. She gave the batter a little whisk and placed the pan back on the heat, she was a little bit annoyed with herself for being so easily intimidated.

As the pancakes cooked and the plate beside her filled up, she hoped Harry would come home soon, at first it was a desire born from this uncomfortable situation, which would be diffused the second he walked in, but now she just wanted to see him interact with Narcissa, her curiosity outweighed everything else.

 

She set the plate of pancakes down in the middle of the table, and a smaller plate for Narcissa and herself, she made one last trip for syrup and cream before sliding into a chair opposite the older woman. Hermione rolled up her sleeves, grabbed the nearest fork and tucked in with gusto, as she chewed she stole glances at her dining companion, even the way she ate had a certain majesty about it. Narcissa had noticed she was being observed, it was only natural that Harry's friend would be curious, she was also interested in the young woman, as she looked over, her eyes were drawn to the ugly slur carved into the woman's arm, Bella always left an impression on those she met she thought sardonically, and how did one start a conversation with someone who had suffered so much at the hands of her family? She honestly had no idea what her sister would do, there was a chance that events would have played out exactly the same regardless, but she had recognised the girl, she had said so. At the time it had been a means to an end, success meant favour with the Dark Lord and there had been a real fear that he would kill them all. The break in at the LeStrange vault had eroded a lot of the safety net Bella provided. Now, years after that event and with hindsight, she had a burning desire to make things better, but could it be done, she wanted to win the girl over for Harry's sake, more importantly she wanted to do so without taking any short cuts.

 

“You are curious about me, Miss Granger, and possibly a little bit angry, you were disappointed with Harry for the circumstances of his break up, but easily placed all the blame on me” she girl moved to speak, Narcissa silenced her with a raised finger “I confess that my part in your ordeal at the manor and my lie to save Harry was purely selfish, I found out about what transpired in the room of requirement afterwards, and beyond that I rarely gave any of you a thought, don't misunderstand, I know what you did, and I'm grateful, thanks to you, I have my freedom and my son. I assure you that I did not plan any of this, did Harry mention how our paths crossed?”

 

Hermione just nodded, a forkful of food was suspended halfway between the plate and her mouth, surprised at the openly candid speech from the ice cold witch, she remembered the incident at Madam Malkin's, she was convinced a duel was about to break out and seriously doubted Harry's ability against the woman, instead there were thinly veiled threats, insults and snobbery. Many years had passed since then, her brain just didn't have the capacity to imagine Harry and Narcissa together.

 

“Our first meeting was awkward and brief, he seemed unhappy, I too was lonely, we had shared something in the forest, we were indebted to each other I suppose, I wanted the company more than anything, despite my selfish reasons we became friends, we never talked about the war if we could help it, I never asked what he'd told his friends about that night, or why he hadn't turned to them, I knew all wasn't well at home, I made the first move, I do not regret it, I feel I have a lot to prove, acceptance will not come easy, and I fear he will lose many friends for being with me, I will not force him to do anything he does not want, but I'm not just going to go away”

 

What on earth could she say to that? She popped the fork into her mouth and chewed

 

“Tell me, what happened when you tried to heal your arm?” she pointed to the mark on her arm, it was just visible, poking out from the beneath the sleeve of her shirt. Hermione was surprised by the sudden change of topic, it caught her off guard

“It hurt a lot, the wound reopened and took a long time to heal, even with the aid of Dittany” she hastily rolled down her sleeve to cover the scar, her tone suggested it was not up for further discussion

“Did you try essence of murlap? When was the last time you tried to heal it?”

“Yes, that was the first thing I tried, it worked well for the scar on Harry's hand. The last time I tried to heal it was pretty much the only time I tried, that was after our escape, when we reached a safe house”

 

Narcissa just nodded, Hermione looked angry and slightly disgusted with her, she couldn't blame her, she deserved the young girls' ire. It occurred to her that Bella had still been alive when she had tried to remove it, there was a slim chance that the curse may have broken, or at the very least weakened since her death. She felt like she was walking on very thin ice, she didn't want to alienate Harry's friend, or any of his friends for that matter, she would not put him in a position where he would have to choose between them and her.

 

“I'm sorry for what you endured at the hands of my sister, and the part I played, in her own twisted way she was only trying to protect me, we were always close, all three of us were, but as the youngest, Bella doted on me, and in turn, I idolised her. I'm not trying to excuse what she did, I assume that you know more than I about what scared her that day”

 

Hermione just nodded, she held Narcissa's gaze with a steely determination, the cold blue eyes looked away, the blonde believed that the girl needed the mental victory.

 

“Your sister was a monster”

“She may well have been, but I am not, give me your arm” perhaps it would be prudent to appear a little bit more human, she set aside her fork, smiling slightly, she held her hands out toward the brunette “Please Hermione” a flicker of shock flashed across her face as she heard her name fall from those red lips “Bella was the brightest witch of her age, I believe that title is yours now, but I know my sister better than anyone and I think I can help, I will not lie, it may hurt”

 

With much reluctance she held out her afflicted limb, Narcissa gripped her gently by the wrist and rolled up the sleeve, she ran her thumb over the damaged skin, she could feel Hermione's muscles tense but the arm remained in her possession, she took out her wand and rested the tip against the scar.

She recalled several counter curses, many of which were Bella's own design, she hoped that this particular curse was also one her sister had created, without being able to examine the dagger used, she could only guess. She remembered her sister being obsessed with muggle body art, long before she'd even heard about the Dark Lord and received a tattoo of her own. She had tried unsuccessfully to replicate a design on her own body using a bastardised version of the permanent sticking charm. The austere blonde witch uttered the words to the counter curse whilst tracing her wand over the letters, Hermione cried out in pain, blood ran and dripped onto the table, and then it was over, she cleaned away the blood and healed the cuts, fresh tears streaked the young woman's face, her hands were balled into fists,

Narcissa released her grip and the arm was withdrawn, the woman opposite hugged herself tightly, eyes still closed, red nailed fingers picked up the fork and poked at the remains of the food on the plate, she would wait for Hermione to regain her composure in her own time.

 

“Thank you” it was barely a whisper

“You're welcome, don't let it alter your opinion of me, I know you care about Harry, and I assure you that I care for him as well, it's only natural that you are wary of me and sceptical of our relationship, I wanted to make amends for what Bella did, but I did not do it so that I would win your favour, do you understand?” She nodded mutely “Good, I must say, those pancakes are quite possibly the best I have ever eaten”

“My mother taught me how to make them”

 

The blonde smiled warmly at her, she placed her knife and fork neatly on the plate, slid it to one side and refreshed their drinks.

 

“Your mother taught you well, I have experienced muggle cooking, Harry took me to a very fancy place in London for one of our dinner dates” Hermione couldn't be sure if she imagined it, but it looked like Narcissa was blushing slightly “will you be staying for the weekend?”

“Yes, Minerva insisted I had a break, what are your plans Miss Black?”

“Call me Narcissa, I was hoping to see Harry, I promised to go and see Draco later and as long as I'm welcome, I planned to come back here, now we've got past a little of the unpleasantness, I can come out of hiding, so to speak, so please don't be shy Hermione, I would be most disappointed if you didn't challenge my intentions or ask difficult questions”

 

Her surprisingly warm smile was eclipsed by the coffee mug as she drank deeply.

 

“It's a lot to take in, when he told me, albeit unintentionally, I struggled, you're just so, well just look at you, and Harry, I know he's matured, but I have so many memories of him rushing head long into situations with literally no thought processes occurring, I know opposites attract, but-”

 

Hermione gestured with her hands and searched for the words, her blonde counterpart laughed and she joined in despite herself

 

“I guess I'm just curious how it works” she ventured

“As I told my mother, I liked the buzz of being wanted and desired again” it was the brunettes turn to go a little pink in the cheeks “it was gradual, his genuine interest in me was refreshing, the vast differences in our upbringing always surprises, we are constantly learning, we play muggle card games, we talk, I can come out from behind my armour, I won't discuss certain topics, but I think he brings out the best in me, I feel young” there was a definite sparkle in those brilliant blue eyes.

“It's still a struggle to imagine Harry as the boy who turns out to be a gentleman, I know he scrubs up well, I think I'm tainted by how much time I've spent in his company, you'll be pleased to know that his bad habits are few and far between”

 

With the ice well and truly broken, the two women found conversation enjoyable, it was still early days but Narcissa couldn't have hoped for better, she talked a little of Hogwarts when she was a girl, and yes, McGonagall was just as strict then as she was now, she avoided talking about her sisters wherever possible, but the subject was always going to come up, apparently she could remove the physical scars but not the mental ones.

 

“Narcissa, can I ask you about Bellatrix, I just want to try and understand, it might help me”

“If you must” she did a poor job of hiding her dislike of the topic

“There are a few things I would like to know” Narcissa gestured for her to continue “How did she survive Azkaban? Sirius used his animal form and the knowledge of his innocence to keep himself together”

“I honestly don't know, she never talked about it”

“She was responsible for what happened to Neville's parents, I've read about Azkaban and the Dementors, even the worst criminals couldn't escape from reliving their crimes and there hasn't been a single case in which a prisoner didn't feel remorse, no one can be that evil, you even said yourself that Bellatrix was capable of love” Narcissa could feel the colour draining from her face

“All I know is that she was there and there were three others, her husband, his brother and Crouch, it never made any sense to me, why keep them alive, why leave the boy unharmed? That information died with those involved, I hope the rest of the knowledge you seek makes for a lighter conversation, now if we can move on please”

 

Hermione offered to refill their cups, the offer was gratefully received, an excess of caffeine was possibly not the best idea, a slightly shaking hand took the cup.

 

“I think I know where this conversation is going, but I will allow it”

“Sirius, she hit him with an Avada before he fell into the veil, did she really hate him that much?”

“Quite the opposite, they were thick as thieves growing up, but you need to understand what it's like to be a pure-blooded woman, your role is to marry into a respectable family and birth a male heir, my father had three daughters while his sister had two boys, my father was ashamed, he took it out on Bella mostly, she was extraordinarily talented, her power unrivalled, I would even go as far as saying that my father feared her, so he became more creative with his punishments. You must understand that I am only guessing, this is purely conjecture on my part, I therefore assume that my father would mention Sirius and Regulus while he beat her, Regulus died, only Sirius was left, she probably blamed him for her treatment at the hands of my father”

 

Narcissa dabbed at the corners of her eyes, Hermione had the good grace to look elsewhere as the blonde composed herself. She had gone to great lengths to forget about her father's brutality, she never imagined she would ever manage to talk about such things freely.

 

“This is the last thing I want to know, I'm sorry if this is painful for you Narcissa, but why was she so determined to kill Nymphadora? Dora told us that she had never even met her Aunt, Bellatrix was after her from the moment we moved Harry, on the night of the seven Potters”

“I don't know”

“Then guess, like you just did”

“Have you met Andromeda?”

“Yes, we took a portkey from her house, it was before Ted went on the run”

“What did you think when you first saw her?”

“Harry drew his wand on her, I was startled at first, but the subtle differences became more pronounced, she could easily pass for Bellatrix”

“My father never knew she was going to run away, Bella did, she caught Andi and Ted kissing at school, she was furious, but she never told our parents, once she had run away, father suspected that she knew, I think that was the point when he finally broke her, she never told him what he wanted to know, but Bella wasn't the same afterwards, my father destroyed her, Lucius' father was a great potioneer and it was only his skill that kept her alive, I found out bits of this from mother. I believe that Bella wanted to kill Andromeda because of the suffering she endured for keeping her secret. Bella never got to fall in love like Andi, she never had the chance to become a mother, Bella certainly never cared about her husband, it was a business contract and nothing more, over the years she harboured nothing but bitterness and hatred for Andi, it's safe to assume that taking Nymphadora's life would seem like a fair exchange for all that she had lost, I also think that Andromeda would have accepted her fate at Bella's hands, not only to save her daughter, but as a thank you for all the years of happiness she gained from Bella's silence”

 

The two women sat silently with their thoughts, Narcissa rubbed her eyes with the heel of her thumb, Hermione actually felt better, she could hardly believe the woman opposite had indulged her curiosity with such detail, she wanted to reach out to her.

 

“Harry is besotted with you, I asked him about you the other day and he just lit up, he and Ginny seemed so happy in the beginning, and I hate to admit it, but it pales in comparison to what I've seen recently, I think you are good for him”

 

What could have been a perfect moment was disturbed by the noisy arrival of a scruffy haired, bespectacled man. He looked completely surprised to see the two women sat at the table, he couldn't even feel any tension.

 

“Sorry I was so long, I hope I'm not interrupting anything”

“It's ok, we've just been talking, we had breakfast and coffee, where have you been?”

“I'm disappointed by the lack of tea, I went out Hermione, I left a note” she looked mildly annoyed at his evasiveness but didn't press him for further information.

 

As he passed by Hermione he playfully ruffled her hair and she slapped his hand away, chuckling he walked round to Narcissa and kissed her on the top of her head, he grabbed a mug and started making a cup of tea, the blonde witch quietly rose from her seat and crossed the room, Hermione picked up the Daily Prophet just in case she needed something to distract herself with, or hide behind.

She had always been curious, nosey even, her mother used to tell her that curiosity was the rope from which she'd hang, before laughing at her daughter's embarrassed face, pulling her into a hug and assuring her that it was a sign of intelligence, she watched Narcissa approach Harry, she wrapped her arms around him, not meaning to eavesdrop, but unable to shut it out, the woman said quite simply that she had missed him.

 

“I've missed you, tell me you're staying”

“Yes and no, I promised to see Draco, and then I'll be back”

“I saw him at work yesterday, he was fine, I gave him your love, won't that do?” he looked at her hopefully

“You must stop teasing him, what did he say? Do I even want to know?”

“He told me to go forth and multiply”

“He told you to what? What does that even me--, oh, I understand, wait until I see him, I'll wash his mouth out”

 

Smiling at the woman in front of him, he gently placed his index finger under her chin and lifted her face up, placing a kiss on her pursed lips, then a second kiss and the witch's expression softened, a tiny whimper escaped her when he pulled away, she rested her hands on his broad shoulders, one found a spot against his neck, she could feel his heart beat against her palm, the other was tangled in black hair, she pulled his lips back onto hers and deepened the kiss, a none too subtle cough came from the direction of the table, it sounded suspiciously like 'get a room' it went unnoticed.

 

She kissed along his jaw and rested her chin on his shoulder, he held her tight, and she sighed in his ear, content to just be held.

 

“I'm going to go and see Draco and doing that won't work” she bit her lip as a hot mouth latched onto her neck “the quicker I go, the quicker I get back” she made a half hearted attempt to push him away.

“Harry, will you please put the poor woman down, she'll be back before you know it”

“Thank you Hermione”

“As pleased as I am that you seem to be getting along, you don't need to gang up on me”

 

Reluctantly he let her go, she kissed him tenderly on the cheek, he caught her lips once more, and she bid the two friends farewell before stepping into the green flames.

Harry let out a heavy sigh and went back to making himself a cup of tea, picking up his cup he turned to the table and the woman watching him over the top of the paper.

 

“What?”

“Nothing, it's just been a very strange day, sit down, enjoy your tea and I'll tell you all about it”


	12. Chapter Twelve

Harry's cup of tea stood forgotten and cold, for the umpteenth time he ran his fingers over the spot on Hermione's arm where Bellatrix's mark used to be, at first it was amusing but now her elbow was beginning to ache, she had no choice but to pull her arm free. Harry smiled, embarrassed, he fumbled for the handle of his cup and took a swig, grimacing slightly, a quick heating charm made it drinkable. He looked over at his friend, she had become lost in thought and was staring off into space, he waved a hand up and down vigorously in front of her face.

 

“What's on your mind? You completely zoned out just then”

“Even after seeing you together, I still can't quite believe it, I mean, you and her, she's so intimidating and yet you are more comfortable with her than you ever were with Ginny”

“Intimidating?”

“Yes, she scares the shit out of me, she has a presence that fills the room, piercing eyes with none of Dumbledore's warmth, her tone of voice almost has the same effect as McGonagall's, and yet I saw all that melt away the second you came home”

 

He thought on what Hermione had just said and drained his mug, setting it down. Truth be told, he was so used to Narcissa being around, everything she did had slipped into the realms of normality, but this was the first time she'd had to deal with anyone from his circle of friends.

 

“I think she was braced for hostility, you have every right to feel that way, but that's not what she's like now”

“I know, I was shocked at how open she was with me, and she saw fit to help me, what did you do to open her mind?”

“I don't think I had that much to do with it, I think it started with the way her family was treated during the war, Lucius played a large part in changing her priorities, he was willing to sacrifice everything to regain his status, for her the price was too high”

“She cares for you so much, she's worried that your relationship with her will turn your friends against you”

“I've thought about it, some won't be able to deal with it, others will come round, as long as I have you and Ron, I think I'll survive the backlash, it's time for me to have something I want for a change”

“We might have to prepare Narcissa for her first meeting with Ron, or just avoid giving him any kind of food when she's around”

“I shudder at the thought, right Miss Granger, we can't spend all weekend stuck inside, Narcisssa won't be back until after dinner tonight, I think I'll treat us to some lunch, Diagon Alley?”

 

Hermione left the table and headed up to her room to change, Harry needed to retrieve a few things from his own room and soon they were walking down the entrance hall, a brief exchange with Mrs Black and they stepped out into a warm and pleasant day, he offered his elbow to his female companion, who curtsied and took it, seconds later they walked, laughing into the Leaky Cauldron.

Tom greeted them both warmly and they happily accepted the free drinks, they drank their butterbeer at the bar and ordered some lunch, they moved over to a table, occasionally, people would drift over to them for a few words, they saw a few of their old school friends, when the socialising was over the barman appeared with their food, they ate at a leisurely pace and once finished they stepped out into the back yard and opened up the archway. They walked arm in arm along the cobbles chatting.

 

“Are you actually going to tell me where you went the other day, or what's in those boxes you are carrying?”

“I went to get these” he gestured to the boxes

“Very helpful Harry” she playfully barged him with her shoulder

“Ok, I'll stop teasing you” his face became suddenly solemn “after the battle at Hogwarts, a group of Aurors, sent by Kingsley, gathered up all the wands of the fallen, friend and Death Eater. We didn't know what to do with them, they were just locked away under my guard, somehow they even managed to get Tom's wand but that will never see the light of day again, I decided that the best thing I could do was return them to Ollivander”

 

They meandered along the street, Hermione pulled him over to look at the displays in the windows, this was going well until they reached the front of Quality Quidditch Supplies, the whole window was dressed up to display the broom of the moment, it took all her strength to pull Harry away from it.

 

“Don't give me that look, when was the last time you flew a broom?”

“I can't remember, and there's no reason to look so smug”

 

Grudgingly he allowed himself to be steered away from the shop, and was half dragged towards the familiar frontage of Flourish and Blotts.

 

“I don't believe there can be a book that you haven't already got or already read”

“For your information, I need a few books for school”

 

She pushed through the doors and Harry followed her dutifully, thankfully she knew exactly what she wanted and with the transaction complete they went back outside. They continued on their way, they both looked up as they passed Gringotts, exchanging guilty looks, they hurried past. It occurred to them that neither of them had set foot in Ollivander's since they came here to purchase their first wand, Harry stepped forward and pushed the door open for Hermione, somewhere in the depths of the shop a bell tinkled.

 

“Mr Potter, what an unexpected surprise, and Miss Granger, what can I do for you both today?”

 

Harry walked over to the counter and placed the boxes down in front of the ancient wandmaker, his eyebrows rose up above those unnerving silvery orbs, Hermione and Ollivander watched as Harry tapped each box with his wand, returning them to their original size, he gestured for Mr Ollivander to open them.

 

“It's good to see you again Sir, you are looking well, these are all the wands that were recovered after the battle for Hogwarts, we didn't know what to do with them, and I thought you might like them”

“Very kind of you Mr Potter, no sign of the elder wand or Mr Riddle's wand I suppose”

“No, I'm afraid not Sir, we believe they were destroyed during our last two duels”

 

Ollivander held Harry's gaze for a little bit longer than was comfortable before returning his attention to the wands of the fallen. Several uncomfortably silent minutes passed, the wandmaker seemed to have forgotten about his visitors, the pair decided to depart and leave the strange man to it, they said farewell and he acknowledged it with a small wave.

Diagon Alley felt refreshingly cool after the dimly lit and somewhat stuffy shop interior, Hermione let out a short burst of laughter.

 

“That was awkward, as we are so close, shall we visit Ronald?”

 

Upon entering the luridly coloured building they were greeted by dozens of indoor fireworks, a banner stretched from one side of the shop to the other informing all who entered of the special offer, Harry plucked one from the air and threw it between his hands before throwing it back up into the air. A black haired girl in the joke shop uniform approached them, her face changed almost instantaneously as she recognised them, stuttering slightly she offered to help them with anything they wanted, unfortunately Ron was out so they politely asked if she could let him know that they had visited, she was more than happy to oblige, she shook Harry by the hand and pulled Hermione into a hug, it was brief but the bushy haired brunette looked a little shaken, her smile was more like a grimace, they thanked her and left in a hurry.

 

They didn't head back to Grimmauld Place straight away, they did some more window shopping, and made a few small purchases, Harry tried his best to discreetly buy a box of Narcissa's favourite chocolates, but Hermione had finished browsing and came back just as he was paying at the counter.

He did his best to ignore the knowing looks and smiles aimed at him, as they walked back towards the Leaky Cauldron he managed to distract her with an ice cream from Florean's, soon enough, they stepped out into muggle London and apparated to the square outside number 12 and headed inside, Walburga was fast asleep in her frame, the pair tip toed past, lest they wake her.

 

Hermione disappeared up to her room and Harry descended the stairs to the kitchen, he made them drinks and carried them up to the living room, he checked the clock and was surprised to see that it was fast approaching 5pm, still too early for dinner as they'd had some ice cream not that long ago, deciding that he would try to beat Hermione at a game of Scrabble he collected it from the cupboard, when his companion returned he was disappointed to see her carrying a large pile of parchment.

 

“Let me guess, school work needs marking?”

“Yes, sorry, I thought I could catch up while we caught up”

“I guess I could play Solitaire, on my own, by myself”

“Don't you dare try and make me feel guilty, you could help me”

“How?”

 

With a flick of her wand a comparative essay landed in Harry's lap.

 

“It's simple, it's first year stuff and you just need to check for errors and compare the content against the parchment I just gave you”

 

He scanned the document, it all seemed pretty straight forward.

 

“Hermione, this is your essay”

“Yeah, my marks have set the benchmark, it was McGonagall's idea” she said as airily as possible

 

He chuckled as she turned an interesting shade of red, she cleared her throat and sorted the pile, handing half of them over, Harry summoned a quill and ink and set to work, it was much easier than he first imagined and felt another pang of regret for not taking up teaching.

The pile of work was dwindling nicely when Kreacher appeared with food, feeling instantly starved, the work was soon abandoned, they ate mostly in silence, Harry was impressed with Kreacher's efforts and had grown quite fond of the elf, towards the end of the meal Narcissa had returned, Harry's eyes didn't leave the woman until she had crossed the room to sit beside him.

Unable to stop smiling, she kissed him on the cheek and pinched a cut of meat from off of his plate, she placed it in her mouth and licked her thumb and forefinger suggestively.

 

“Would you like anything?” he made a move to recall Kreacher, but a soft hand stopped him

“No thank you, I ate with Draco and Astoria”

 

Narcissa kicked off her heels and stowed them beneath the sofa, Harry finished with his food and put the plate down by the side of the chair, he put his arm around her waist and pulled her close, he kissed her head, breathing in her scent, she pulled her feet up and settled against him and into the embrace, her eyes fluttered closed as he gently teased his fingers through her hair.

 

“How was Draco?”

“A little annoyed, he's still getting used to the idea, Astoria is pleased for us, and that doesn't seem to improve his mood. What did you and Hermione do today?”

“We went to Diagon Alley to drop a few things in to Ollivander's, then we shopped a bit, which reminds me, I have something for you”

 

She sat up and allowed him to move, he walked over to the sideboard and returned with a box, he handed it to her and sat back down. The box was white and gold, it shimmered, she ran her nails under the edges of the box, unsealing it, inside was another box, deep red in colour, upon seeing it she clutched the box to her chest and drummed her feet on the back of the sofa with childish glee.

 

“My favourite, not sure I know what I've done to deserve these, thank you, you know me so well”

 

Narcissa leaned back across Harry's lap and pulled him in for a kiss, as their lips part she stroked the side of his face tenderly, the outer box was soon discarded and the red box was opened, she perused the contents and slipped the selected chocolate between parted red lips. She selected a second and pushed it into Harry's mouth, he mumbled a thank you and she shook her head at his lack of manners, she held the box out to Hermione along with a recommendation.

 

“Oh my, they are good” the blonde smiled and nodded

“How about a friendly game of Scrabble? I'm quite taken with that muggle game”

“Friendly game? Don't be fooled, Narcissa makes it more brutal than Wizard's Chess”

 

That earned him a slap on the arm, laughing at the pair, Hermione set aside her paperwork and placed the board on the table, the room was silent except for the occasional click of plastic tiles, Harry looked at the tiles in front of him with disgust, his letters looked like a scream of pain from a comic book, he was glad when the game ended, Narcissa just edged a victory over the younger woman, they elected to have another game while he decided, emphatically, to sit it out.

 

The second game was interrupted half way through by the noisy arrival of one Ronald Weasley. He was carrying a bucket of chicken from some take out place, and munched away on a greasy thigh, blissfully ignorant of the captive audience in front of him, Harry and Hermione traded looks of horror with each other and mouthed silent apologies to the blonde witch.

 

“I'm guessing you have already eaten so I picked myself up some food on the way, Charlotte told me you came into the shop today, I've brought doughnuts and some drinks for this evening, I left them in the kitchen”

 

He stopped talking, the way he stopped walking gave the impression he had walked into an invisible barrier, his eyes darted around the room as they took in the scene before him, Hermione was wearing a sort of rictus grin, Harry just smiled in earnest at his friend, Narcissa remained the picture of composure.

 

“Oh bloody hell” the lanky ginger swallowed his mouthful and to the disgust of everyone, wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

“Evening Ron, good day?”

“Yeah, not bad Mione, what did you think of Charlotte?”

“Please don't call me that, I hate it” she looked to Harry for support “She's nice, exuberant, I'm guessing that she and you” she didn't need to finish her sentence, Ron grinned and nodded “well I'll say this, she's better than Lavender Brown”

“You're not wrong, no idea what I was thinking, she was mental”

 

Ron collapsed into an empty chair and continued to devour the remains of his chicken bucket. The women returned to their game, after a few turns, Narcissa asked Harry to take over for her and excused herself, before she departed she whispered something in his ear and gave him a peck on the cheek. When it was safe to assume the coast was clear, Hermione leaned towards Harry.

 

“Where has Narcissa gone?”

“She's going to have a bath”

“I have been wanting to do that all day” there was a slight whine in her voice

“I promise that you will have it all to yourself tomorrow” he crossed his heart with his forefinger

“I'll hold you to that”

“Ron?”

“Yeah mate”

“Can you just take over from me, currently you're winning”

 

He pushed his Scrabble letters into Ron's unresisting hand and walked out of the room, two pairs of eyes watched him leave.

 

“Where the hell is he going? I've only just got here and he's sodded off”

“Ron, you can be so incredibly dense”

 

Harry rushed up the stairs, the door to the bathroom was still ajar, she hadn't made it that far yet, he opened the door to his bedroom, she didn't turn around, she was sat at the dressing table brushing her hair, he walked up behind her, the carpet muffled his footsteps, she didn't bat an eyelid when he scooped her hair to one side and kissed the shell of her ear, he gently nibbled on the lobe before kissing down her neck.

 

“I had hoped you'd follow me”

“I couldn't resist, I've missed you”

 

She turned to face him and held out her hand for him to take, his soft, warm fingers ran down hers and he held it in a firm but gentle grip, he helped pull her up and she stepped right into his personal space, she pressed her body flush against his. Warm hands roamed across her upper back, she shimmied her shoulders hoping he would get the hint to move down her back, she bit her lip as he resumed the attack on her neck, teeth grazed over her pulse point making her release a small moan.

Narcissa let out an unexpected squeak of shock as strong hands cupped her backside, he lifted her up and sat her on the dresser, several items got scattered unceremoniously to the floor, thumping softly onto the carpet, hands starting at her hips moved to her waist, they slid effortlessly across the material of her dress and across the plane of her stomach, her breath caught in her throat as they moved upwards, he lingered at the swell of her breasts, her back arched and she wrapped her legs around him trying to press her body closer to him.

 

“You will not distract me from my bath” the breathlessness of her voice betrayed her conviction

“I wasn't planning on it, I was coming to scrub your back” he kissed her parted lips, her hot sweet breath filled his mouth

“For a time I was worried my choice of clothing was going to be wasted”

 

Harry straightened up to look at the woman, she pointed to the zip at the nape of her neck, with that undone the dress slid off her shoulders and pooled around her waist, her pale skin glowed and hungry green eyes blazed with lust, she pulled at his t-shirt, untucking it from his waistband, he helped her pull off the clothes from his upper body, she ran her nails down his chest to his toned stomach leaving a trail of red welts.

She relished the effect that had, muscles twitched beneath smooth skin, she licked her lips and kissed along his collar bone and down his chest, she kissed along the scratches she had made, soothing them with her soft lips.

With shaking fingers the clasps of her bustier relinquished their hold and the item was swiftly removed, she gave Harry quite a predatory look as she raised her arms and draped them around his neck, his chest rose and fell rapidly as she pressed her voluptuous curves against him.

 

“Bathroom, now!”

 

He nodded, temporarily struck dumb, he made it to the door on autopilot and instructed Kreacher to run a bath suitable for his Mistress, the delighted elf was only too happy to oblige. Turning back to the room he caught a glimpse of a very naked Narcissa wrapping herself in a robe, smirking at the look on his face she threw something at him and he snatched it out of the air with a seeker's instinct, the red lace passed through his fingers and once released, drifted to the floor.

 

“You threw your knickers at me?” she grabbed him as she passed and they almost fell into the hall.

 

Giggling like kids they crashed into the bathroom, enveloped in thick perfumed steam, he yanked the cord of her robe, it fell open, he helped remove it and threw it to the floor, his trousers and boxers quickly joined it, she was already sliding into the hot water, she slipped forward and Harry slid in behind her, she settled comfortably between his legs before laying back against his chest, his arms encircled her torso, unable to resist the temptation, his hand ran up her inner thigh, the other across her chest, she threw her head back and their lips met, they kissed greedily and with their tongues they fought for dominance.

 

The act of bathing was long forgotten, Narcissa shifted her position, the battle for control had long been won by her, water and suds poured over the lip of the bath, both were past caring, allowing her more animalistic side to rise to the surface she left her mark, timid at first, Harry had kept up with her, she would have a few marks herself in the morning and she would happily wear them.

In the cosy bliss that followed Harry soaped and scrubbed her pale skin, and she returned the gesture, she adored the feeling of his fingers as they worked the shampoo into her scalp, clean and exhausted, they dried and returned to the bedroom.

 

Narcissa walked naked to the bed and sighed at the sensation of the cool sheets caressing her heated flesh, Harry joined her, she positioned his arms so that she was cocooned against him.

 

“I love you Narcissa”

“I will never tire of hearing you say that, I feel so lucky”

“You deserve it, I can't thank you enough for what you did for Hermione”

“It was my pleasure” kisses peppered her neck, her body reacted with a shiver of pleasure

“I'm planning on seeing Andromeda and Teddy tomorrow, I'll come home as soon as I can”

“OK, good” she kissed him “I do miss Andi, maybe one day we'll be able to put the past aside”

"I'm sure it will happen, I'm almost certain it will"

 

His arms squeezed her tight, he couldn't see the tears that sprung up at the corners of her eyes, feeling happy and reassured she slipped into sleep.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Harry awoke and with tired eyes he looked down at the woman sleeping on his chest, she looked so incredibly peaceful in this sleepy state, angelic even, he couldn't fathom how she could be comfortable, he smoothed her hair with his hand, her eyes fluttered behind closed lids, he admired her form pressed tightly against him and longed for this to be an everyday occurrence, he wanted to wake up to her every morning.

He willingly stepped onto that train of thought, his marriage to Ginny had been relatively straightforward, in many ways it was just like a muggle ceremony, he had a feeling that it would be as far from that as possible should he declare his intentions for Narcissa's hand. Would she even entertain the idea of marriage? After all, they had been perfectly happy just being together.

 

It seemed that his train of thought also had a catering trolley but instead of food it was packed full of tiny details, the proposal, well, it would have to be something pretty momentous, he couldn't actually recall proposing to Ginny, the rings had been heirlooms, given to him in front of everyone during a Weasley family dinner, they had just smiled at each other and slipped them on.

Rings! Maybe he could get Hermione to help him with that, as his mind drifted he remembered a selection of jewellery in his vault, it wasn't that he didn't want to spend money, but they may be magical and perfectly suited for the task, it couldn't hurt to have them appraised.

 

He felt warm, his skin was definitely heating up and his heart was racing, it was nerves, it had to be, Narcissa stirred and her pale arm slid around his torso, she sighed and settled. He was nervous, but he didn't mind, this was right, a grin crept across his face, he craned his neck forward, it was just enough to allow him to kiss the top of her head. Harry was eager to get on with his day, but he didn't want to wake his sleeping witch and if he was honest with himself, he didn't want to move from her either. He thought about how best to organise his day, top of his list of priorities was Andromeda, if he could just win her round, she would be invaluable to him, he knew their father was dead and that was a blessed relief, by all accounts the man was a vicious and cruel bastard, he had never asked about her mother, he wondered whether he'd have to ask her for Narcissa's hand, he also worried about all the other possible hurdles and pitfalls that could be in store for him, today he hoped to find out, providing Andromeda didn't hex him right out of her house.

 

Regardless of how things went with Andromeda, he would head to Gringotts from there, despite it being a Sunday the goblins treated it like any other day, if by some miracle he managed to find something in his family vault, all that remained was a place to take her so he could propose properly, he had no ideas, he briefly considered going back to where it all started, but the thought of going back to Aragog's hollow, deep within the forbidden forest, didn't appeal one bit.

The Quidditch world cup was due to start soon, there was every chance that he could obtain tickets, there was no way he would ever want to turn his declaration of intent into a media sensation, he had never enjoyed being the centre of attention, besides, he didn't want to wait, the world cup was a few months away, he was so deep in thought, he didn't notice that Narcissa had woken up, blue eyes looked up at him lovingly.

 

“It's far too early to be so deep in thought, what are you thinking about?”

“Morning, I was just trying to organise my day”

 

She moved herself back up the bed and laid her head on Harry's pillow, she ran her fingers through his tousled bed hair.

 

“You are only going to see Andromeda and Ted, how much organising does that task require?”

“It's the things I want to do after I visit them, that's what needs organising”

“I thought you were going for a quick visit and then you'd come back to me, will you be gone all day?”

 

Narcissa had a pout that would make a petulant child green with envy, Harry found it amusing and proceeded to break her resolve with affection, she was stubborn to a fault and her attempts to hold him away were almost successful, they tussled, she was surprisingly strong and he lay pinned, not that he minded, the view was superb, she whispered seductively in his ear, his body betrayed his desire to leave.

With an effort he reversed the situation, the blonde tried ineffectually to regain her former dominance, it was Harry's turn to whisper in her ear, he told her that if he wasn't able to go she would inadvertently ruin her surprise, he felt bad for using a cheap trick against her but it worked and she relented, he laughed as she bombarded him with questions, she made a few hollow threats, and vowed to question Hermione after he had left, despite his insistence that the poor girl knew nothing. He kissed her and she responded in kind, they kissed each other fiercely, she broke away from him much to his chagrin, she slid from the bed and padded to the bathroom, she stood in the doorway.

 

“Hurry back”

 

With that, the door closed, he shut his eyes and tried to imprint her image onto his brain, shaking himself out of his reverie, he proceeded to dress, then he headed to the kitchen.

Hermione was already awake, she sat eating toast and drinking tea, she offered him a cup and some toast, he ate quickly, between mouthfuls he warned her about the impending interrogation, this turned out to be a terrible idea, if possible, Hermione was even more curious than Narcissa, he assured her that he would let her in on the big secret when the time was right, and that he may need her before the day was over, this added more fuel to the fire, in the end he practically ran for the front door, shouted a farewell at a shocked Walburga and once outside he apparated to Andromeda and Ted's house.

 

The door was opened before he could even raise his hand to knock, apparently he had been seen walking down the path from the upstairs window, Teddy was positively bouncing up and down at Harry's arrival, he barely managed to wave to Andromeda as he was pulled upstairs and into the young boy's bedroom, he had a thing for muggle toy cars and LEGO, he sat down cross legged and the boy copied him, they built fantastic structures and smashed them down with the cars.

Eventually Andromeda appeared and rescued him, they went down to the kitchen and she busied herself preparing drinks, they chatted about what they'd been up to since the last visit, he told her about his weekend with Hermione, Ron was mentioned but he kept quiet about Narcissa.

 

With drinks in hand and a sizeable chunk of cake they went into the living room and sat down, Andromeda filled Harry in on all Teddy's exploits at school, it wouldn't be long before he received his letter from Hogwarts, he also wanted to ask Harry if he could teach him to fly because he really wanted to play for whichever house he was sorted into. The witch seemed to be in good spirits and now seemed like a good time to change the subject.

 

“Andromeda, Could we talk about your sister?”

 

Her whole posture stiffened, she set her cup and plate on the table, Harry was once again reminded of her resemblance to Bellatrix, he wished that he had phrased the question better, all he could do now was wait for the woman to speak and then try to smooth things over. She got up unexpectedly and crossed over to an impressive looking Welsh Dresser, she opened one of it's cupboards and removed what looked like a picture frame, she returned to her seat and handed it to Harry.

 

“That was the last picture taken of us all together”

 

Harry looked at the smiling girls in the picture, Bella and Andi, so like twins, Narcissa, so similar to her sisters in some ways but also their polar opposite, her blonde hair shone next to the darker shades of her older sisters.

 

“I assume you know a little of my family” he nodded but said nothing “my father is dead, I would say he probably died while you were in your second year, I know mother is still thriving, no idea what her views of me are, Bella wasn't always twisted, father turned her into a monster, she took almost everything from me, I heard she left quite an impression on Hermione” Harry moved to open his mouth but was cut off “I don't know what else I can tell you, don't think I don't remember how you reacted the first time we met, I can't even begin to tell you her reasons for killing Sirius, they got along just fine when they were children, I don't need to be reminded of my sister's work, I live with that loss every single day, I assumed you knew me well enough to not even entertain the idea of chatting about that evil bitch”

 

With her rant over, she looked around just to make sure Ted hadn't walked in, satisfied that they were still alone she turned back to Harry, he had lost the colour from his face, she was breathing heavily, she relaxed slightly in her seat but the set of her jaw was still firm.

 

“I actually wanted to talk about Narcissa, I'm sorry, I should have made that clear” he kept his voice low and even.

“Oh”

 

That was all she said, the anger in her face was replaced with confusion but her curiosity was piqued, she wondered where this conversation was headed.

 

“I wasn't expecting that, I just assumed you meant Bella, so many still live under her shadow despite her being gone, sorry, I should have known you wouldn't have been so thoughtless, I'm interested to know why you want to talk about Narcissa, I know you were very vocal about how she should be treated at the end of the war, I read about it, I always thought it was odd, perhaps now is the time I find out”

 

Harry had no reservations about telling Andromeda all about the events in the forbidden forest, she was impressed that her sister defied the Dark Lord and essentially helped bring about his downfall, she told Harry that she almost wished Bella had survived the war to learn of her sister's transgression, at the same time she was devastated by how badly Bella had been used, her whole life spent being manipulated, first by her father, then Voldemort and in the end everything she believed was all a lie.

 

“I was staying at your Aunt's house, well I suppose it's my house now and Narcissa came to visit, she was unaware that I was there, and we became friends” he paused to consider how best to proceed

“I am shocked that the ice maiden is capable of friendship, not as shocked as I am that you entertained the idea”

“As I said, her motives were selfish at first, but she's changed now, she misses you”

 

Andromeda was wholly unconvinced, she shook her head in disbelief

 

“She is obviously using her friendship with you to try and get back into my good graces”

“It's not like that, she managed to erase Hermione's scar, she did it off her own back”

“I still don't understand why you defend her to the hilt, one good deed doesn't undo all the bad ones”

“You make her sound as bad as Bellatrix”

“She may not have killed or destroyed, but she stood by and let it happen, that kind of apathy can be just as damaging”

 

The conversation was rapidly becoming a heated argument, Harry knew that it was going to be an uphill struggle.

 

“Yes, she turned a blind eye, but if Bella had come to you, would you have turned her over to the Dementors? Not to mention that Voldemort was living under her roof, she did what she had to do to survive”

“OK, I concede your point, but it still doesn't explain why you care”

 

Harry shifted under her intense gaze, there was no way to avoid the truth, so he sucked in a deep breath and blurted it out.

 

“I love her and I want to marry her, we've been together since before I split with Ginny” He had made peace with his infidelity but still felt the burn of shame.

“You and Narcissa are romantically involved?”

 

The witch looked at him incredulously, she laughed but it quickly died down when she saw the sincerity on the young man's face

 

“You're serious?”

“Absolutely, it wasn't planned, it happened slowly, we were both lonely, I can't explain it but she completes me”

“This is a lot to take in Harry, I know it's a big thing to ask, but could you show me your memories?”

“Legillimancy? I'm awful at Occlumency, and there are things you probably don't want to see” he couldn't stop himself blushing.

 

Despite being reassured many times he still felt nervous, this wouldn't be anything like his lessons with Snape, that was an attack on his mind, this time he was a willing participant. She wasn't lying about her skill, it was a very strange sensation.

Andromeda carefully browsed Harry's memories, she saw their first meeting, the dinner dates, the card games, as the relationship grew she could feel the strength of his feelings and saw those feelings returned, she saw the sister she remembered from her childhood, happy and carefree, a few tears ran down her cheeks, and then the connection was broken.

 

“That wasn't so bad”

“I promised I'd be careful, I can scarcely believe it, she behaves like a love sick teenager, I assume you would have rather Draco found out differently?”

“You saw that? It could have gone better, but it worked out in the end”

“You are sure that this is what you want?”

“Positive, when Ginny went away to play Quidditch I rarely missed her, I thought it was because I accepted her choice of profession, but after a few weeks of having Narcissa visiting I counted the days until the next visit, I missed her when she was gone, if that was how I felt before we became an item, I really don't want to be without her now”

“What about the age gap?”

 

Harry couldn't help but grin despite himself

 

“I don't think it's a problem, we have plenty in common, our differences help, she can relax around me, she challenges me, it's like finding my missing piece, she just wants to be happy and I make her happy, she hopes that she can put some of her skills to use at St Mungo's, she is determined to erase everyone's perception of her, her determination is one of many things I adore about her”

 

Satisfied with his answer she stood up and left the room, telling him that she would be right back, her footsteps got fainter as she walked down the hallway, Harry heard the front door open and close, Teddy came in for a drink and Harry went into the kitchen and made him a glass of juice, Andi had cleverly laid out some cake for the boy and he hopped up on to the stool at the counter to eat, the closing front door announced the return of his Grandmother.

 

“Teddy, I need to go out with Harry, I won't be long, Martha is going to look after you while I'm gone”

 

He mumbled an OK through a mouthful of cake, a short, thin woman with mousey hair and a friendly face just smiled at them, Harry gave her a polite nod and he readied himself to leave, they didn't speak until they were out of the house and some way down the road.

 

“Who was that woman and where are we going?”

“She's my neighbour, she helps me out, she's a muggle, which makes things entertaining as for where we are going, I think it will be more fun to leave it as a surprise”

 

An uneasy feeling seeped into his stomach, a quick check of the surroundings to ensure no one would see them apparate, she offered her arm and hesitantly he took it, they appeared in a clearing, the tall and twisted trees blocked out most of the light. Andromeda was already a fair distance ahead and he had to jog to catch her up, in no time they left the dirt path for a gravel road of sorts.

The gates came into view before the house and Harry knew instinctively where she had brought him, this could only be Black Manor, an involuntary shiver ran down his spine as they passed the gate into the vast grounds.

 

With a less than satisfactory warning that they may not be welcome, they found themselves in front of the vast doors, the witch placed her hand on the wood and they silently swung open, she crooked her finger at him to follow and they headed inside.

 

“Well Harry, are you ready to meet your future mother in law?”

“Not even a little bit”

“She will probably already know we are here, she usually holds court in a room up the stairs”

 

To Harry the climb to the top seemed mountainous, his stomach was doing back flips, mentally he felt fine, Narcissa was worth it and this would get him one step closer to his goal, before they alighted the stairs, Andromeda took it upon herself to make the young man look a little more presentable, for which he was most grateful.

They reached the top and they walked towards a door on the left, Andi entered without knocking and he followed without question. The room was small and cosy, a fire blazed in a vast hearth, standing in front of the fire with her back to them was a tall woman, her incredibly long hair stopped just off the floor, she slowly turned to face her guests, Harry saw where the Black sisters got their looks from, despite her age, and he would never even dare to guess it, she was a very beautiful woman, her eyes looked over at her daughter and lingered long on Harry, he got the impression she was trying to make him squirm.

 

“Hello Mother, it's been a long time”

“Andromeda, what an unexpected surprise, and who is this young gentleman?”

“You know very well who it is”

“Then please introduce us, or have you forgotten the manners you were raised with”

“Had beaten into us you mean”

 

Both women stared daggers at each other, the room was stifling, Harry surreptitiously loosened his collar, Andromeda ended the stand off, shooting her mother a final glare.

 

“Harry Potter, this is my mother, Druella Black, Mother, this is Harry Potter, as well you know”

 

A smirk played across the old witch's face, she motioned towards the chairs and took her seat.

 

“It's very nice to meet you Ms Black”

“Likewise Mr. Potter, I have been hoping to meet you ever since Narcissa visited”

“Narcissa visited and that made you want to meet me?”

“Oh yes, my daughter is very much in love with you Mr. Potter, I thought she would bring you herself, but it seems you've sought me out, which means only one thing”

 

Harry didn't care for the smile on Druella's face, the light from the fire cast shadows making her eyes look like black pits, he glanced sideways at Andromeda, her face was unreadable but her eyes told him to continue. He cleared his throat, the sound was loud in the quiet of the room, his nerves were jangling

 

“I would like your permission to marry Narcissa and your blessing”

“I'm impressed, adhering to tradition, well mannered, and not one but two requests of me, how I have missed the boldness of youth”

 

Druella rose elegantly and stood before Harry, she commanded him to stand and with legs like jelly he did as he was told, he couldn't have been more complicit under the imperious curse, cold fingers gripped his lower jaw, vice like, before he was able to utter a sound a familiar sensation hit him, she was in his head. For what felt like an eternity she searched his mind, he attempted to push her out but it was futile, she wasn't gentle and he had no control over what she saw.

When she finally released him Andromeda was on her feet with her wand drawn, Druella just laughed and sat back down.

 

“How dare you treat Harry in such a disrespectful manner, you have no idea how much he's done for Narcissa and myself”

“I know now, I saw what I needed, and I will consider your request Mr. Potter”

“Mother, stop playing games”

“It seems Andromeda aims to suck the fun out of everything, very well, I shall see you at the wedding Mr. Potter, best you get on, I couldn't help seeing that you have wedding rings to procure”

 

Just like that they were dismissed, Harry was practically dragged from the room, Andi was furious he could almost feel the anger radiating off her, they returned to the clearing in the woods.

 

“I can't apologise enough, she had no right, she is lucky that the Ministry aren't storming the place, they must know she's alive and well”

“I might have had something to do with that, I requested that your family were to be left alone, the only reason Malfoy manor was raided was because of Lucius, I couldn't stop that, it was one of the conditions for Narcissa's house arrest, all questionable items pertaining to the dark arts had to be removed”

“I doubt my sister minded that too much but it's more than my mother deserves, she has the nerve to tell me about manners and then barges into your mind, I was just about to hex her when she let you go”

 

Harry and Andromeda went their separate ways but not before he gave her a friendly hug and asked her to pass it on to Teddy, promising to visit again soon. Diagon Alley was eerily quiet and the short walk to the entrance of Gringotts was uneventful, he was shown to his vault with polite indifference, he stepped inside and lit his wand, he walked over to where he had seen the jewellery on his previous visit, after many minutes he had made no progress, the sum of all of his knowledge when it came to rings was that he knew which items were rings, so he took all of them and after one more gut churning cart ride later, he was back in the main hall.

 

Unsure of who to approach he merely glanced around at the goblins working the counters, from the door he watched a goblin examining jewels, the next one was weighing gold, the one next to him was examining a necklace through an eyepiece, Harry approached the counter, he coughed to gain the attention of the creature.

 

“Can't you see I'm very busy Mr. Potter, so hurry up and say whatever you have to say so I can return to my work” Harry did his best to ignore the rudeness and keep the annoyance from his voice

“Sorry to disturb you but I wanted some rings appraised”

 

Harry held out one of the items to the scrutiny of coal black eyes, after a pause he said

 

“Very well, follow me please”

 

He was led into a brightly lit side room, the goblin sat at the table and gestured for him to sit opposite, Harry laid all of the rings out on the table top, the goblin examined each one in turn, turning each one over between long, thin fingers, eventually he had handled each one and after setting the last ring down he looked up.

 

“They are all goblin made, the craftsmanship is exquisite, passed down through several generations of your family, I'd wager”

 

The goblin didn't even try to hide his distaste over what he perceived to be nothing short of theft.

 

“What is it that you are after Mr. Potter? Perhaps then I will be better equipped to help you”

“I'm looking for his and hers wedding rings”

 

The goblin pushed two very similar rings towards Harry and away from the rest, the pattern running around the band seemed to be alive, it was hard to determine what the design was like.

 

“These should suit your needs, they are very old and crafted specifically for marriage, the couple who last used these rings were separated only by death, their love endured”

“How do you know?”

“The metal speaks to those who understand it Mr. Potter”

“Thank you, I insist that you keep the rest, consider it payment for these”

 

The goblin looked at Harry as if for the first time.

 

“You are a very strange wizard Mr. Potter, despite the break in, you are still respected among most of my race, I will ensure this most generous act reaches the ears of my people”

 

He stood and bowed, with the meeting over he left the bank. Before returning to Grimmauld Place he visited Magical Miscellany, he was fortunate to find two ebony boxes, with a small modification they held the rings perfectly, satisfied he headed home.

He walked through the front door whistling a jaunty tune, he took the stairs two at a time and walked into the living room like a conquering hero, the women didn't even turn in his direction, slightly deflated he went and sat next to Narcissa, she moved her legs for him, he tucked himself in under them and kissed her on the cheek, a smile flickered at the corners of her mouth. The game of scrabble was close to the end, a war was being waged and the English language was the weapon, he glanced over, half of the words looked made up.

 

“Would anyone like a drink?”

 

Taking the resounding silence as a 'No' he gently moved Narcissa's legs and got up to fix a drink, the sound of pouring liquid drowned out the clicking of the tiles. He picked up his glass and took up his favourite spot by the window, he heard the unmistakeable groan of defeat, it would do his witch good to lose sometimes.

Pale arms snaked around his waist and held him tight, he sighed at the feel of her body against him, and the warmth of her against his back, with some difficulty he managed to turn to face her, a whispered 'I missed you' just before he captured her lips.

 

“Missed you too” she whispered back, slightly out of breath

“Shall we sit down?”

 

Narcissa headed back to her seat, Harry passed the drinks cabinet and placed his glass down, he quickly caught her arm before she could reach the chair, she turned and looked at him, her brow was creased with a look of puzzlement..

 

“What are you doing kneeling on the floor?”

 

With a flourish he produced a small black box from the depths of his robes.

 

“Narcissa Black, will you marry me? I want to spend the rest of my life with you”

 

He carefully opened the lid, the silver band glinted in the darkness of it's setting, Narcissa's mind was reeling, she reached for the back of the chair to steady herself, there was only one answer to that question.

 

“Yes”

 

He carefully slipped the ring onto her finger with shaking hands, she dropped to her knees, overcome with emotion. She was glad when Harry held her close, he rested his chin on the top of her head and smiled at Hermione who looked both furious for being kept in the dark and on the verge of tears.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Narcissa would normally have been horrified to break down in such a way, she had accepted the proposal with no fuss, she was proud her voice had remained strong and steady, but the wave of emotion that hit immediately after wasn't expected at all. All day she had wondered what Harry was planning, Hermione had been incredibly patient with her constant interrogation, and she didn't let up, in the end she even resorted to letting time pass before unloading another question, hoping to catch her off guard, this proved to be fruitless.

 

It was obvious from the young woman's reaction that she hadn't any clue what he'd been planning, and felt foolish, as her rational brain regained control and her breathing steadied, her tears slowed, they were tears of joy, of that she had no doubt. She felt a huge rush of love for the man holding her tight, she didn't know for certain but he must have met her mother, he would have needed her permission. Also, there was no way he could have reached Black Manor without assistance, which would mean that Andromeda must have helped, that was surprising enough, but the fact her mother granted his request was a far more surprising development.

 

“Are you OK?”

 

She felt his voice as she was still pressed close against him, she found it incredibly soothing and blinked until her vision cleared. She left the comfortable warmth of Harry's arms to better compose herself. Hermione handed her a tissue and she gently dabbed it around her eyes, she was smiling broadly at the woman sat on the floor before her.

 

“I guess he did well” Narcissa laughed and nodded

“I had no idea, I'm so sorry Hermione, I feel terrible, I assumed you knew”

“He” she gave Harry a pointed look “Didn't tell me anything, how do you feel?”

“Overwhelmed”

 

The blonde witch, stretched her legs and gracefully rose and sat back down on the sofa, Harry sat beside her and she gently leaned against him.

 

“Tell me how you got my sister to help you?”

“I told her about us and she took me to see your mother”

“You make it sound so easy, I never dreamed that she would do anything that would help me, dare I ask how you got my mother to agree to your request?”

“I asked for her permission and her blessing, she liked my manners and my adherence to tradition, and after she subjected me to a touch of Legillimency she sent us away, Andromeda was about to hex her, but she gave me what I wanted, and she expects to come to the wedding”

 

Narcissa sighed heavily, she pivoted to face her man, she rested her hand against his cheek and looked deep into his eyes.

 

“Are you sure about all of this, we won't be able to keep this secret, mother will not allow her daughter to get married quietly, like it or not, our union would be a major event in my mother's eyes, it's all about status and prestige, not only that, when it gets out that bloody Skeeter woman will have a field day, I'm worried about the backlash and how it will affect you, the chosen one marrying the disgraced ex-wife of a convicted Death Eater, I don't want to be responsible for you being shunned by your friends and the magical community”

 

He placed his hand atop hers and smiled

 

“I've never been more sure about anything in my life, I woke up this morning and realised I wanted to wake up with you every morning, do you regret saying yes? You certainly sounded sure when you accepted”

“I was, I am, we hadn't ever talked about the future, like I said, I'm overwhelmed, there may even be a chance of a reunion with Andromeda all thanks to you, not to mention the fact you held your own against my mother, possibly even earning her respect, I am mortified that she would force her way into your mind, she always was a law unto herself, it took a little while for me to process the situation, and then I panicked”

“I never thought I would ever see you lose your cool”

“Don't you dare make fun of me Harry Potter, I've been worried about how people would react to us for a long time”

“Since when did you care what people think?”

“I don't care what they think about me, but I do care about what they think of you”

 

She folded her arms tightly across her chest and glared at him, he wore a slightly bemused smile, her whole demeanour reminded him of a stubborn teenager, he placed a kiss on her unyielding red lips.

 

“Well I don't care what everyone will think, I love you Narcissa Black, I will marry you and after a while everyone will move on to the next piece of juicy gossip and it won't be a big deal, that's how Rita Skeeter operates, it was exactly the same during the Tri-Wizard tournament”

 

He kissed her again and this time she made a small effort to kiss him back. Hermione who had remained quiet during the whole exchange finally spoke.

 

“Ron and I are both behind you, and I'm sure there will be more, and if I can help, you only have to ask, it's all very exciting” she smiled earnestly at the blonde witch

“I'd like very much for you to be a bridesmaid, I'm hoping Astoria and Andromeda will be too, oh Merlin, Draco is going to have kneasles when he finds out”

“I would be honoured, and Draco wouldn't deny you a chance of happiness” Hermione's enthusiasm was beginning to catch “Can I see the ring?”

 

Narcissa held out her hand for the young witch to inspect

 

“It's so beautiful, you're just full of surprises Harry, after all these years I thought I knew everything, but shouldn't Narcissa have had a say in choosing the ring?”

“I didn't think about that, I was so focused on proposing” a red flush crept across his face and to spare his blushes his fiancé came to his rescue.

“It's fine, it's a magic ring, very old, goblin made, my great great grandparents had a pair, I couldn't be happier with it, besides I don't need fancy jewellery, I have everything I want” her blue eyes twinkled as she smiled.

 

The women began to talk animatedly about the wedding, Harry sat back and listened to the chatter, talk of dresses, colour schemes, catering, seating plans, the venue, the ceremony itself, the honeymoon, and the guests, none of it phased him, he wanted this, his only worries were about little things, a cold dread at the thought of having Ron as his best man was easily outweighed by another thought, exactly how many people would be sitting on his side, he wouldn't blame the Weasley's for not attending.

They had given him so much love and care over the years, they might even feel like they still owed him, he had saved several members of the family on numerous occasions, he had been humbled by how well they had taken the news of his split with Ginny. George and Angelina may attend, they seemed pretty neutral according to Ron, He had a feeling that somewhere down the line Arthur was related to Narcissa, but ultimately it would be Molly who would decide on their attendance.

 

There was always the slim chance that the ceremony would remain an intimate engagement, Druella hadn't said anything about a desire for a huge and extravagant wedding, he held out some hope that it would be that way, a small group of hand picked friends and family seemed more than adequate to him.

He mentioned that he was going down to the kitchen, she gently patted his leg, he rolled his eyes towards the ceiling and left them to get on with it, smiling to himself, this had been a great day. On the way down he used his DA coin to summon Ron, he was pretty sure he'd have it on him. As the kettle finished boiling Ron stepped out of the fireplace.

 

“You called?” his eyes came to rest on the cup next to Harry “brilliant, I could murder a cuppa”

 

Harry shook his head and retrieved a second cup from the cupboard, Ron filled the silence with all his latest news and with the tea finished, he fetched a pack of biscuits and they sat down at the table.

 

“Cracking cup of tea mate, cheers, so what did you want?”

“I asked Narcissa to marry me, and I want you to be my best man”

 

Harry skilfully avoided the inevitable splutter of tea and biscuit, cleaning away the mess with a flick of his wand, his best friend at least had the decency to look apologetic.

 

“Bloody hell mate, best man, that's some serious responsibility, congratulations and all that”

 

He received a hearty clap on the shoulder from the red haired man, he proceeded to tell Ron all about his day, he quietly uttered a few well chosen swear words as Harry recounted every detail of his meeting with Druella, Ron told him that stories and rumours about Druella Black had circulated for years, back in the days when his Dad was just starting out in the Ministry he had heard many things about the Black family, Cygnus was powerful and well respected, no one dared go near them, the Ministry was corrupt and devoid of teeth, a real example of an old boys club, an organisation ruled by the exchange of galleons and a fear of wealthy pure blooded families whose names were synonymous with the dark arts, it was no wonder Voldemort managed to gain such an advantage when the dark arts went completely unchecked.

 

As a child growing up in a world of magic, Ron had no concept of the fears harboured by muggle children, if something went bump in the night, the chances were pretty good that something was doing the bumping, so it amused Harry to hear that instead they were kept in line by the mere mention of Druella Black, he wouldn't have been surprised if the witches in muggle fairy tales were based on her, his friend looked suitably puzzled when Harry asked if she had ever owned a gingerbread house. As an adult, Ron's dad had told him less fantastical stories, how she apparently hunted muggles for sport, none of this was ever confirmed, she was seldom seen, and her eldest daughter took on the dubious honour of becoming even more terrifying than her mother.

 

Harry removed his glasses and cleaned each lens carefully on the hem of his T-shirt, he replaced them and pushed them up the bridge of his nose.

 

“I want your mum and dad to hear about this from me, it's only a matter of time before I no longer have that luxury”

“I understand mate, let's do it, right now”

 

He agreed, they went back upstairs to tell the two women their plans. They had been busy, a small table had been conjured and it was covered in note paper and swatches of coloured cloth, Hermione looked at them as they entered, a little guiltily it had to be said, she told Harry that she would be returning to Hogwarts that evening and would be popping back and forth to help out, at Narcissa's request.

The bride-to-be stood up and walked the short distance to Harry, she placed her hands either side of his face and pulled him into a searing kiss, a slight huff of discomfort from Ron, followed by a quiet hiss of admonishment from the brunette, she pointed to a spot on the floor in front of her and Ron ambled over, they talked together, allowing the happy couple to share a few quiet words of their own.

 

“What was that for?”

“Nothing, I don't need a reason Potter, you're all mine now, but you have made me the happiest woman alive”

“It never crossed my mind that you might say no, I just had my mind set on it and I couldn't be more pleased”

“I understand Hermione's frustrations with you now, always rushing in without a thought”

“Yeah, some things don't change it would seem”

“I hope it goes well with the Weasleys”

“I won't be gone long, but Molly and Arthur deserve to hear this from me”

“I understand, hurry back”

 

With a final kiss she went back to her seat and picked up where she left off with Hermione, the two men took their leave. They apparated to a hill overlooking the burrow, they laughed and chatted as they strolled towards the building. It hadn't changed at all over the years, even Bellatrix had failed to leave a permanent mark on the impossibly stacked house, they had all come together to help rebuild it, it stirred many feelings within him, but he couldn't help feeling a little apprehensive, it was too much to ask for the Weasleys to accept what he had to tell them.

 

As usual, the instantly recognisable figure of Molly Weasley came scurrying across the yard to greet them, Arthur stood in the doorway and waved. Progress back to the house was slow due to Ron's mum constantly fussing over them, eventually they were ushered into the living room and provided with drinks. They chatted about the world at large until eventually the conversation dried up, Ron gave his friend an encouraging nudge.

 

“Something on your mind Harry?”

“Is it that obvious Mr. Weasley? Yes there is, I have some news and I wanted you to hear it from me”

“Don't be shy dear you're among friends” Mrs. Weasley came and sat next to her husband

“I'm getting married”

 

Molly recovered from the initial shock first, but not before giving Ron a searching look, in that brief look, the Weasley matriarch managed to convey that her youngest son was in serious trouble for not even mentioning the fact that Harry had met someone else, let alone reached this stage in the relationship, Ron's ears had begun to turn pink.

 

“That's lovely dear, Ronald hadn't even mentioned you were dating, who's the lucky girl?”

“It's Narcissa, Narcissa Black”

 

The silence that followed his proclamation stretched on into the infinite, if anything, Mr. Weasley's attempt to diffuse the tension made things worse.

 

“That's nice Harry, we'll be distantly related” he chuckled nervously

“You can't be serious, this is some kind of joke”

 

She looked at her son for the reassurance she needed, but it was not forthcoming.

 

“There is no way you could love that woman, let alone marry her, she must have done something to him Arthur, you're obviously under some kind of spell or potion”

“I promise you I'm not under any kind of spell”

 

Harry was quite alarmed when Molly drew her wand, Arthur and Ron both made a move towards her but she simply cast 'Finite Incantatam' before asking him who he was marrying, his answer remained the same and Molly seemed deflated, her posture sagged but her jaw was set firm.

 

“Harry, she may not have been a Death Eater but she was happily married to one for many years and she helped hide the evil bitch who tried to kill your ex-wife, my baby girl and she tried to destroy our home, Narcissa is no different, she is a Black through and through”

“You can't help who you are related to, I mean look at my Aunt and Uncle, I'm not excusing what Bellatrix did, she killed Sirius, but she also kept Narcissa safe in her own twisted way, Narcissa was frightened for her life, she never wanted to be a part of Voldemort's world, everything changed for her when he returned. Bellatrix was evil, but Narcissa had no control over her”

 

Mrs Weasley's mouth opened and closed as she thought hard for a new angle of attack.

 

“Have you forgotten that she stood by while her sister defiled poor Hermione?”

“No, I will never forget that, but Narcissa worked out the counter curse, Hermione is as good as new, they are both at Grimmauld Place organising the wedding, I wanted to tell you myself in case you heard it elsewhere, I also want to invite you along, formal invitations will be sent out of course”

“I'm sorry Harry, I don't see that happening, we will not be attending, I can barely believe you can stand to be anywhere near that terrible woman, I think it best that you leave”

“Molly I don't think there's any call for that”

“Be quiet Arthur, that woman should be in Azkaban where she belongs, I can only begin to imagine what Andromeda will have to say about this, poor Teddy, he adores you Harry, there's no way you'll be allowed near him while you cavort with that, that,....”

 

It appeared that Molly didn't quite possess the vocabulary to describe her dislike for Narcissa, he opened his mouth to defend her and to tell the furious woman that she was wrong, but the look on Arthur's face changed his mind.

Mr. Weasley touched his wife's arm as he tried to get through the blind hatred but she batted him away, Harry felt like his heart had been ripped from his chest, he stood and met Arthur's gaze, he seemed to say that he'd try and talk to her. As Ron got up to leave with his friend he was frozen in his tracks.

 

“You're not going anywhere Ronald Weasley, sit back down this instant”

 

As if pushed by an invisible hand, Ron crumpled back down into his seat, Harry cut a lonely figure as he left the place he had called home so many times and trekked back up the hill, he spent a long time composing himself, he didn't want to return home in a state, he knew it would only upset Narcissa, a few hot tears prickled at the corners of his eyes and one spilled lazily onto his cheek, he rubbed at his eyes vigorously and took several deep breaths.

As he finished getting himself together the lanky frame of his friend came into view, he picked up his pace and was soon standing with Harry, panting heavily.

 

“Well that could have gone better”

“No shit mate, Mum's going spare, Dad's trying to calm her down, he managed to stop her mailing Ginny, that's something at least, you should know that after she won her duel against Narcissa's sister, she had a lot of trouble sleeping and nightmares, I mean it's not everyday you kill someone, I'm sure she'll come round, I don't think you deserved that”

 

Ron didn't seem convinced but Harry appreciated hearing it all the same.

 

“How come she let you go?”

“I just made a dash for it when she was distracted by dad”

“Both brave and stupid, you'll answer for that later, come on lets go”

 

Back in the kitchen at Grimmauld Place, Harry splashed water on his face and hoped it would erase any trace of his distress, his nerves were slowly calming down and when he felt halfway normal he readied himself for heading back upstairs, Ron was going to head back to the shop, he had things to do, they embraced and then he was alone.

 

He walked slowly up to the entrance hall, a familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.

 

“Evening Mrs Black”

“Congratulations Mr Potter, I've never seen my niece so happy, not since she was a little girl”

“Thank you, she's very special, I love her deeply”

“She's very lucky to have you, you should probably go to her, I won't keep you any longer”

 

He slowly shook his head, smiling, he took the stairs with renewed enthusiasm and headed for the living room.

Narcissa's face lit up the moment she saw him and made space for him next to her, he sat and lay his head on her chest while she idly stroked his hair.

 

“Tough visit?” he nodded

“Molly took it badly, Arthur didn't say much, only that we'll be distant family through marriage, that didn't go over well at all”

“We'll send out the invites and see what happens, I'm sure it'll work out in the end”

“Have you eaten?”

“I was waiting for you”

 

Kreacher was promptly summoned and they ate a simple meal, deciding that the day had been pretty emotional and draining for both of them they retired for the night, Harry was certain he wouldn't be able to shut off his brain and prepared for an unsettled night, he fell asleep almost instantly, Narcissa watched him for a while before she carefully wrapped her arms around him and settled herself.

 

The next morning they woke, refreshed, Harry's mood felt lighter, they picked a date for the wedding, the middle of summer, it was a few months away, but as the preparations became more demanding she wanted to utilise Hermione's talents for being able to organise everything, but didn't want to overload her while she was still teaching.

 

By remarkable good fortune, their trips out together barely got met with anything more than a raised eyebrow, and in the space of a week they had chosen the outfits for Harry, Ron and Draco, Teddy was still only pencilled in as ring bearer, but Harry was confident that he was coming along with Andromeda, the invites were written and ready to be delivered, it was a much larger pile than they had anticipated, but after several failed attempts at trying to thin out the guest list, they had given up.

 

The arrangements had been made for the delivery of the invitations, Harry couldn't help feeling anxious, the first reply arrived not more than an hour after they were sent and it was from Druella, Narcissa wasn't the least bit surprised, Andromeda's came next, written in part by a very excited Teddy.

With each response Harry's unease grew, he couldn't quite understand it, the replies so far were safe, expected, Ron, Hermione, Draco and Astoria, they had all responded in good order. He was gratefully distracted by a more pressing matter, they needed someone to perform the bonding, the list was short, but that didn't make the choice any easier, in the end it came down to Minerva McGonagall or Kingsley Shacklebolt.

In the end Narcissa's logic won the day, asking the Minister of Magic to perform the wedding rites wasn't exactly low key, a carefully drafted letter was dispatched to Hogwarts with strict instructions for it to be given to the headmistress directly.

 

The weekend was approaching, Harry was looking forward to seeing his two best friends, he thought he'd been hiding his feelings well until he snapped at Narcissa over dinner. He saw the hurt in her eyes and told her all of what was said the day he visited Molly and Arthur, she had known something was the matter and knew he would tell her eventually, she did her best to comfort him, his apology was accepted but unnecessary, this had been one of her biggest fears.

That night as he slept, Narcissa wondered if there was anything she could do for him, she wouldn't let this ruin what was looking to be the happiest day of their lives, she wanted it to be perfect, there was only one option available to her and with a plan of action in mind, she finally slept.

 

She woke first, kissed Harry gently on his forehead and dressed, she picked a figure hugging dress, she wanted to look smart, it was cut long and ended just above her ankles, she found a pair of comfortable heels, tied her hair into a messy bun, and staked it in place with her wand, she wanted to travel light today and the dress didn't have a place for it.

She bumped into Hermione on the way downstairs, the brunette was eager to get started, Narcissa had a feeling the young woman would be the glue that kept everything together, the older woman hugged her briefly, the girl was bursting with ideas, Narcissa told her she was going out and wouldn't be long, and if she could tell Harry when he finally got out of bed.

 

When she reached her destination she immediately regretted her choice of footwear, progress was slow on the rocky and uneven path, at last it turned into a proper path and not long after that, an unfamiliar building came into view, she opened the gate, rusty hinges creaked in protest, unchallenged, she walked confidently up to the front door and knocked sharply. The door was wrenched open, the usually amiable face of Molly Weasley took one look at the woman and surprise quickly turned to anger.

 

“You! How dare you show up here unannounced, you're not welcome here”

“I just want to talk about Harry”

“I'm convinced you've cast some kind of spell on the poor boy, I don't want to hear anything you have to say, how could he love a cold, heartless bitch like you?”

“He's not a boy, and I've done nothing to him, I do love him and he loves me”

 

Narcissa tried hard to keep a lid on her anger, this task was made harder by the derisive snort, she balled her hands into fists and used the discomfort caused by her nails digging in to her palms, to keep herself grounded

 

“You should be ashamed of yourself Molly, you are the closest thing he has to a mother, and you can't see past your misguided hate, I could understand if you were torn between Harry's happiness and your daughter's feelings, but so much time has passed, it's time to let it go”

“Don't you dare tell me how I should behave, you're cut from the same cloth as your sister, she tried to destroy my home, she tortured a teenage girl while you stood by and watched and then she tried to kill my daughter”

“Do you see Andromeda the same way?” the calmly uttered question made Molly stop for just a moment before she spat out a response

“She had the good sense to leave before the rot set in”

“Bella was lost years ago, but she spared me and my family from true horrors, things that you can barely imagine, and you bested her in a duel, yet you don't hear me screaming for the blood of the woman who killed her”

 

Narcissa had no time to react to Molly Weasley's spell, the slap echoed around the yard and made the blonde's ears ring, she reached for the handle of her wand, her hair fell free around her shoulders and she backed slowly into clear space, the red haired witch matched her pace for pace, they circled slowly. Molly's next spell almost sent her tumbling into the mud.

 

“It appears you were too preoccupied with looking good to dress for a duel”

“I didn't come here to duel, I just came to talk”

 

As they continued to circle she stepped out of her heels and shredded her dress to free her legs, she deflected the next slapping hex, startling a passing chicken, the poor creature shed a pillow's worth of feathers and erratically flapped its way to safety.

She moved with the grace of a stalking predator and switched to a more offensive stance, Narcissa attempted to disarm Molly, a quick succession of spells cracked and echoed all around. Arthur Weasley stood on the doorstep with his mouth agape at the scene in front of him.

 

“Molly, I beg you, please stop, this is madness, someone will get hurt”

 

His plea fell on deaf ears, Bellatrix had underestimated Molly's ability, her sister's arrogance was her downfall, she wouldn't make the same mistake, she had no intention of hurting her, Harry would struggle to forgive her for that, but she would make her see sense one way or another.

 

“You should listen to your husband, I really don't want to hurt you”

“You can try”

 

Arthur went back inside, the two women didn't even notice, Narcissa fired off a spell hoping to catch her opponent off guard but Molly was ready for it, spells of varying strength and colour flashed between them, most were deflected but some hit their mark leaving superficial cuts and bruises, fatigue was coming. Molly was sweating, her hair was frizzy and windswept, during the ceasefire Narcissa attempted to end it with reason.

 

“What can I do to prove that I love him?”

 

The question caused the red haired woman to pause for just a second, this change of tack caught her by surprise, Narcissa didn't care for the expression forming on Molly's face.

 

“I'm not saying that I'll believe you, but if what you say is true, throw down your wand”

 

The blonde should have seen it coming, she felt a slight sting as her pride took a blow.

 

“How very Slytherin of you, very well”

 

She held her head high and fixed her ice blue eyes on the woman opposite, her wand arm fell to her side and she released her hold on her wand, it clattered quietly on the ground, she slowly closed her eyes and waited, for what, she didn't know.

The wind and occasional bird song was all she could hear, the quiet was broken by muffled voices coming from inside the house, a door opened, followed by the sound of running feet, her body went rigid as a pair of hands came to rest on her shoulders, she opened her eyes and found worried green ones looking into hers.

 

“Are you hurt?” she shook her head “couldn't you have just sent her a strongly worded letter?”

“It's not really my style” she let out a weak chuckle

 

Hermione, Ron and Arthur looked out from the front doorway, they all looked a bit pale, Harry looked at Narcissa, he'd never seen her look so dishevelled, her dress was torn to ribbons, her feet were dirty from the mud of the yard, her hair was wild, a few trickles of blood had stained her usually perfect alabaster complexion, but he didn't care and kissed her anyway, she threw her arms around his neck and clung to him, they parted and she rested her forehead against his.

 

“I'm sorry, I just wanted to make it better, I didn't come to fight”

“I know, you didn't need to do that for me, I love you so much”

 

As they stood there hugging someone clearing their throat caught their attention.

 

“I think we should go inside and have a chat Harry dear, I hope Narcissa will see fit to join us”

 

It wasn't an apology, but it was a start, he turned to the woman on his arm and she smiled at him and nodded, she retrieved her wand and her shoes and they filed into the house.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

The mood inside the house was frosty, more suited to a wake, a stark contrast to the usual atmosphere, more often than not, loud and hectic, Harry wondered if Molly had suffered from empty nest syndrome after her brood had moved out to forge their own way in the world, or perhaps her and Arthur were finally glad to have the place to themselves.

The living room seemed very crowded, even though it had played host to a far bigger crowd, but they managed to find places to sit and squeezed in, Harry had a protective arm wrapped around Narcissa's waist, who had done little to alter her appearance, ever the pragmatist, Molly busied herself and tended to her guests, a few contemptuous glances were directed at the woman beside Harry, if she noticed, she made no indication.

 

“I don't suppose there's somewhere I can clean up?”

“Of course...” he gripped the arms of the chair to pull himself up

“It's OK, Mr. Weasley, I'll show her the way, she might need a hand”

“Thank you Hermione, I'd appreciate that”

 

Narcissa smiled gratefully at the young woman, they stood and she led her towards the stairs.

 

“I'm sorry for dragging you out here Harry, I didn't know what else to do”

“Don't worry Mr. Weasley, I had no idea she planned on coming here, Hermione saw her as she was on her way out but was none the wiser”

“It's a relief that they didn't do each other any serious harm” he lowered his voice and checked that the coast was clear “I don't think Narcissa was giving her all, I believe she came here just to talk”

 

Mr. Weasley's reaction to his wife suddenly entering the room was comical, but the stern looking housewife didn't seem to suspect there was anything going on, she inquired as to the whereabouts of the two women and satisfied with the answer, went back to her business.

A creak on the stairs and muted chatter caused him to look up, the two women came slowly into view, Narcissa looked much more like her usual self, her dress remained in tatters and Harry's eyes were drawn to her slender legs, he saw it as a good sign that even after all this time, she still had a profound effect on him, as his heart picked up pace he felt a prickle of heat across his skin, in the sudden absence of noise he looked up, a smirk played on her lips, she rested a hand on her hip and shook her head slightly, resuming her slow walk back to his side, the way she moved her hips as she did so was not lost on him.

 

“Your house is quite unlike anything I have ever seen, very quaint”

“We can't all live in a mansion, and despite your sister's best efforts, it's still standing”

 

Molly had just walked back in and without pause, sat herself down and glowered at the blonde witch as if daring her to talk out of turn.

 

“I spend most of my time at Grimmauld Place, I much prefer it” she gently squeezed Harry's leg “Malfoy Manor is mine, but I don't care for the place, too many bad memories, and I don't think my mother would want me moving back home”

“Harry dear, you're certain this is what you want? There must be so many girls out there your own age who'd be ideal for you”

 

Arthur looked up at the ceiling, Hermione had gone white as a sheet, Ron appeared to be attempting murder on a scatter cushion and opted to simply hide behind it, they were all braced for the explosion of anger. Harry gently ran his fingers up and down Narcissa's spine just the way she liked it, her hands clutched tightly at her knees, knuckles white, when she spoke her voice was quiet and level, but under the surface lay a hint of the danger threatening to spill over.

 

“How dare you insinuate that Harry doesn't know his own mind, or maybe you still think I've used magic or a potion”

“That was the first thing I checked” Narcissa looked positively murderous and spoke through clenched teeth

“I bet it was, you should know better than to meddle, you cannot arrange people's lives, let alone love”

“That's rich coming from you Narcissa, your marriage to Lucius was one of the most well known and well publicised arranged marriages in decades”

“I was lucky, we did love each other in the beginning”

“Well that changes everything, you must have been ignorant of Lucius' activities, the innocent party, though I find that very hard to believe”

 

Molly seemed determined to goad the blonde witch into a rage, almost delighting in the argument, it was several moments before she responded.

 

“I believed in the cause, I didn't know any better, I didn't want to end up like Bellatrix and I didn't have the strength to escape like Andromeda, everything would have been fine if the Dark Lord had never returned” there was real pain in her voice “Lucius showed his true colours, he was willing to sacrifice everything for the cause, including my son, and that was unacceptable, as a mother you know there is nothing you wouldn't do for your children” the volume of her voice had dropped to barely a whisper “Harry's mum died to save him, I lied to the most powerful dark wizard the world had ever seen to protect my son, and you killed to save your daughter”

 

The elegant woman stood, shaking with emotion and fought valiantly to hold back her anger and her tears, she brushed down her dress and fixed her cold blue eyes on Molly.

 

“I want you to be a part of the happiest day of my life, if Harry still wants that, I owe him more than you know, and I am absolutely devoted to him, ultimately it's your choice, but mark my words, if you decide against it, there's only one person you'll hurt deeply, and it won't be me”

 

Narcissa turned on her heel and stormed out, everyone sat, stunned, but Harry was on his feet and after her, she was stood still in the yard, the wind buffeted her hair, he approached her slowly and wrapped his arms around her middle.

 

“I'm sorry”

“What in Merlin's name do you have to be sorry for? You are all I want and all I need, hopefully a few real friends will stick around” he laughed “I didn't think I could manage to love you any more than I already do, I cannot wait to marry you”

 

She turned in his arms suddenly and buried her face in the crook of his neck, her body racked with sobs, he felt hot tears drop onto his skin, he spoke soothingly and held her until she calmed.

 

“Sorry, I don't think I've been this emotional in my whole life, it all got a bit too much, I was worried how everyone would react, I thought this would be the easiest part, but if that's how the closest thing you have to a real family react, it's only going to get worse”

“I don't care, as long as I have you, from what Ron told me, his mum struggled a lot after the war, I don't want you to think I'm defending her behaviour, I think she was testing you”

“It'll take more than the views of that bitch to frighten me away, you are stuck with me” she huffed loudly, dabbed at her eyes and after several deep breaths she was almost fully composed “I guess the day can only get better”

“I hope so, I've a surprise for you, I'm afraid it'll be quite emotional, but hopefully for good reasons, and I will do anything you like as compensation for putting you through all of this”

 

With only a touch of trepidation she held onto the offered arm and the familiar sensation of apparation enveloped them both. The street was instantly recognised by Harry, he took a step forward and staggered backwards, Narcissa had gripped his arm like her life depended on it, her eyes reminded him of a rabbit's caught in car headlights.

 

“I, I, I don't think I can do this, I'm not ready, I look an absolute state”

“You look beautiful, and you are a very powerful and skilled witch, I'm sure you can fix how you look”

“You are biased”

 

For what felt like an age, Narcissa worked on her appearance, Harry didn't dare say anything, he was worried they might be spotted by a muggle but not so worried that he would risk her wrath, it had been a pretty trying day already, thankfully it was always quiet in Andromeda's neighbourhood.

He had hoped that this day would come, just as she had gone marching to confront the Weasley's for him, he had a burning desire to reunite her with her sister.

As they had been putting a few finishing touches to Grimmauld Place, they had been sorting through boxes and boxes of stuff from the attic and found a mass of old photographs, Narcissa painstakingly went through the lot, it had taken her many hours and put the dinner table out of commission for at least two days, she found lots of her with her sisters, Harry had come in at one point and she had been crying, her eyes were red and puffy, they had been taken in happier times, three young girls, laughing and jostling one another, with absolutely no idea at what life had in store for them.

 

Andromeda had owled regularly since their visit to Druella, sometimes Teddy would write a little, it didn't take long for an opportunity for a visit to open up and he simply asked if Narcissa would be welcomed, usually Andi's responses were quick, it wasn't until a few days later that he got the go ahead, there was a definite eagerness on Andromeda's part, he had picked the day and made a date, he hadn't known at the time that Narcissa would choose that morning to go off to the Burrow without a word.

 

Ready at last they walked hand in hand to the gate, her grip was tight, almost uncomfortably so, he paused to look at her before knocking, she may have put on a mask of calm but Harry knew her well, he kissed her softly, assured her that everything would be fine and knocked on the door.

The striking form of Andromeda Tonks stood in the doorway, a handsome young boy peered around her skirts, when Narcissa's eyes met his she smiled and he ducked back behind cover.

 

“Hello Harry, so glad you came, Teddy has been a right handful, he was up at 6am and has been waiting for you ever since and asking when you'd be here every other minute, he is desperate to show you something or other, for the sake of my sanity, can you please indulge him”

“Wild Thestrals couldn't stop me, come here this instant Teddy Lupin”

 

Harry grabbed the boy who was soon squealing with delight, he threw him over his shoulder and marched off towards the stairs leaving the sisters alone. Andromeda's soft brown eyes looked long and hard at her younger sibling, Narcissa looked away first, she had no idea what to say, all her apologies sounded so hollow to her, she wasn't even sure she'd be able to voice them.

 

“You look well Cissy, there's a glow about you, while the boys play, we'll talk in the garden”

 

The garden was small and well kept, the day was comfortably warm, the honeysuckle was in bloom and the steady hum of bees could be heard, in a little nook there was an apiary, she followed her sister to a bench, it was crafted from driftwood, bleached bone white by the sun, she sat and motioned to the empty place by her side.

 

“It's a really nice place you have here”

“We like it here”

“Thank you for helping Harry, he told me about his meeting with Mother”

“That was a very strange day, I needed him to convince me that what he was saying was the truth, he handled himself well, I wonder if you'll be as accommodating”

 

She felt the spell hit her, she relaxed as best she could at her sister's intrusion, images of her time with Harry, her thoughts and feelings laid bare, back and back, all the way to the forest, she saw a little of the battle, those memories were painful for them both, then it was over.

 

“I had to see, Cissy, I had only seen one side, you are a selfish bitch, or at least you were, you've changed, I won't lie to you Narcissa, you don't deserve to be happy, not really, I helped Harry because Teddy would have wanted me to, he's such a lucky little boy, thankfully he will never have to suffer as we have, Harry has been brilliant, he will make an excellent father one day.

He does deserve to be happy, it's lucky for you that the thing that makes him happy is you and I needed to know that this isn't another one of your manipulations”

“I don't do that any more, I'm not the same woman”

“I saw, he loves you and I know now that you love him, so don't fuck it up”

 

Caught somewhere between a laugh and a sob, Narcissa went back into meltdown, despite not being ready to let her younger sister off the hook, the older woman softened and pulled her into a hug, which only exacerbated the situation, this wasn't the same sister who had screamed the words blood traitor in her face when she had told her and Bella that she was running away.

She had spent years looking over her shoulder, waiting for her father to track her down, she hadn't known what was worse, being found or the thought that her sisters had betrayed her, it never happened, she cried the day she heard her father had died, and it wasn't out of grief, she knew then that Bella had kept her secret and was probably responsible for Narcissa's silence.

 

Gently she stroked her sister's soft blonde hair, the sobbing lessened until only a slight hitch in her breathing remained

 

“I'm so sorry Andi”

“Save it Cissy, there is an awfully long way to go but we've made a start, where we go from here is down to you, I'm glad you came, I sincerely hope to have my sister back, but you don't get second chances like this handed to you, I will not stand by and watch you squander it, I know you better than anyone and I'm just being cautious”

“I understand, I've missed you so much, even seeing mother again felt good, I'm quite anxious about her attending the wedding, she knows her reputation and she will play to it”

 

Narcissa sat up again and the two women looked at each other, they smiled weakly, glad that the air was clear, she relished the opportunity to prove herself to Andromeda.

 

“I saw something in your mind that I missed when Harry let me in”

“You did? What did you see?” She raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow

“You seduced him knowing full well he was married”

“I had to be bad to be good, it all worked out in the end” she said with a defensive air

“Come on, I think I've said all I need to, let me show you around and we'll find the boys and have a drink”

 

The afternoon flew by, the tension ebbed away as the two sisters reminisced, Harry held Teddy's attention, Narcissa watched their interaction closely, he was a natural, no wonder her sister was so glad he'd been playing a role in his life, and the little boy was such a character, Andromeda almost choked on her tea when he suddenly told the room at large that his grandmother fancied one of his teachers, and that she talked to him at every opportunity, the blushing witch was spared no quarter as he finished by telling them that her flirting cut into his time at the park, the accusation was furiously denied.

 

Teddy invited them for dinner, and they happily accepted, while Andi went to the kitchen he had slowly approached Narcissa and charmingly muscled his way onto her lap, the usually unflappable woman didn't quite know what to do or how to react, Harry smirking at her wasn't helping, it was his turn to watch her, he knew it had been a number of years since she'd had to deal with a small child and as the minutes ticked by, Teddy won her over completely.

 

With dinner finished and night drawing in fast, Harry and Narcissa got ready to leave, Teddy was tucked up in bed and in a surprising turn of events, he refused to settle until both of his guests had gone up to say goodnight, Andromeda hugged them farewell on the doorstep.

Back in Grimmauld Place they staggered wearily up to bed, stomachs full, heads fuzzy from wine, as they lay in the dark, Narcissa had kissed him, the end of the day had cancelled out all of the negatives from the start of the day.

 

Harry woke first the next morning and watched his woman sleeping, she stirred and murmured a few times, he quietly tasked Kreacher with breakfast, he was only too happy to oblige, he had told the elf about his marriage to Narcissa and then spent the next ten minutes trying to prise the creature off him, to say Kreacher was pleased would be an understatement, he would give the Hogwarts elves a serious run for their money.

Over breakfast they discussed more wedding details, mostly the cake, she had very specific ideas and wanted to go to Diagon Alley to try and arrange it, he wanted to go with her but she wanted it to be a surprise, there was no arguing with her and he decided to spend the day at home.

 

She'd been gone an hour and he was bored, he'd read the Prophet and was now having a stab at the crossword, he had gotten used to the flow of traffic through his house as the wedding neared, mostly Hermione dropping off this and that, so he barely flinched at the roar of fire signalling a new arrival, he only looked up as a chair was dragged from its place and sat upon.

 

He blinked many times before his brain acknowledged what his eyes were seeing, Ginevra Weasley hadn't said a word yet, she looked at him curiously as if seeing him properly for the first time.

 

“What are you doing here?”

“Hi, I'm fine thank you, how are you?”

“Surprised, but the question still stands”

“Um, Mum hasn't seen you for ages, Ron's busy with the shop and his girlfriend, Hermione, well you know what she's like, only happy if she's busy, so I said I'd drop by” she smiled at him

“Ginny, I was at the Burrow yesterday with Ron and Hermione”

“Damn you caught me, I had hoped some of it might be true, I didn't have an excuse to drop by, so I made it up, I was trying to avoid making it awkward”

“Why would you want to drop by?”

“I've missed you, I wanted to see you”

 

She reached out to take his hand and he hastily withdrew it, the look of hurt flickered across her face for just a moment.

 

“Did your mum put you up to this?”

“Put me up to what? I told you I was bluffing, I've not actually seen anyone yet, I was just passing through on my way back from a Quidditch game”

“Can I make you a drink?”

 

He left his seat to put the kettle on, she chatted easily about her job, she asked about his, laughing as he shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, she'd forgotten he was sworn to secrecy, the uneasy feeling in his stomach had gone, he looked at his ex-wife and felt nothing, answering the question of what would happen the next time he bumped into her, he returned to his seat with drinks.

 

“I'm sorry we drifted apart, I know that it was more my fault than yours, but now we've learned from it and grown, I thought there might be a chance for us”

“I don't think so Gin”

“Why ever not, I know you're not seeing anyone, I would have been told”

“I've moved on, and you are wrong, I'm seeing someone and have been for a while, it's serious”

 

Harry watched as she battled with her emotions, he knew her so well, she was proud and fought hard not to breakdown, she picked up her mug in both hands and slowly raised it to her lips and drank.

 

“I'm pleased for you, I had no idea, is it anyone I know?”

 

She sounded sincere but was unable to meet his eyes, as he worked on a response he heard the front door close and the sound of stiletto heeled footsteps, the steps stopped to be replaced by muted chatter, obviously her Aunt would want all of the latest wedding gossip.

The stairs down to the kitchen creaked and groaned as they always did and the kitchen door opened, Narcissa strode into the room, her heels loud on the tiled floor, two sets of eyes turned to look at her, oblivious to her audience she walked to the sideboard, put down her bags and began rummaging through their contents.

 

“I'm happy to say that everything went to plan, I had a very productive day, did you miss me?”

“I'm glad, I'm sorry to say that I did nothing, of course I missed you, I was pretty bored but then Ginny dropped by on her way back from a Quidditch match”

 

The item she had been removing from the bag fell back inside with a dull thunk, she turned slowly on the spot and looked at the pair.

 

“Is this Molly making another attempt to interfere?”

“No”

 

Narcissa sat down next to Harry and lay her hands on the table top, she quietly clicked her nails on the wood, she allowed herself a sly smile as he rested his hand on hers, the gesture didn't go unnoticed by the red haired woman, she looked to be gathering her thoughts, and cleared her throat.

 

“Mum knew?”

“Yes, that's why we were at the Burrow”

“Ron and Hermione knew as well?”

“Yeah, I asked them not to say anything, I was about to tell you when Narcissa came home”

“It's fine, it's none of my business anyway, thanks for the drink but I really must go”

 

She stood up too quickly, the chair legs caught on the floor tiles and sent it crashing to the floor, apologising profusely she picked it up and grabbed a handful of floo powder, she stepped into the flames without a backward glance, Narcissa squeezed Harry's hand.

 

“Are you OK, how do you feel?”

“Pretty good, it had to happen at some point, glad to get it over and done with”

“That's not quite what I meant”

“I know what you meant, I felt nothing, if anything it only proved that I've made the right choice”

 

With that he kissed her, when he pulled away her lips were slightly parted and her eyes closed, he kissed her again.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Narcissa hadn't been feeling well for several days, she was exhausted, and silently cursed the fluctuating British weather for bringing on a bout of flu. Choosing to self medicate, she brewed up a few remedies just to keep herself functioning, there was still so much to do and it had to be just right, Hermione had noticed her condition and was concerned that she was overdoing it, the young witch was brilliant and constantly offered up her free time to help, in some cases she did much more than her fair share. She had really begun to enjoy the young witch's company and her knowledge of weddings was astounding. With ever reddening cheeks, she had told Narcissa how most muggle girls dreamed about and planned their weddings from a young age, inspired by tales of princesses and handsome princes.

 

Harry was also beginning to worry about her, but she was eating well and sleeping well, and she had no complaints when it came to the more athletic aspects of their relationship, but there was no escaping the dark rings around her eyes, she had taken to covering them up with magic and make up. He was eager to help and lighten the load but failed miserably, he ended up being shooed away by an irate Hermione, he apologised and mumbled something about wanting to help, he didn't like feeling useless and Narcissa's heart went out to him, later that night as they lay together, she assured him that it was all in hand, all he needed to do was wait for her at the altar, pick a best man, and make sure Teddy didn't lose the rings.

 

A little bit of panic was beginning to creep in, they hadn't heard back from Minerva, Harry had owled Hermione, but she couldn't shed any light on it. A few days later they had the answer, McGonagall had eventually agreed to perform the bonding, they had waited an age for her response, they hadn't another choice should the headmistress decline their offer, her acceptance had a lot to do with Hermione, upon receiving the request from Harry and Narcissa, she had almost dismissed it as some kind of bad joke. In the interest of being thorough she had gone to talk to Hermione and after several glasses of Fire Whiskey, having listened to the whole tale from the young witch, she reluctantly agreed, more for Harry than anything, she couldn't help being sceptical, she had taught most of the Black family and didn't think there was any good in them at all, Andromeda and Sirius being the exceptions.

 

The wedding was to be held at the castle, it was neutral and they both loved the place, to Harry it was home and to Narcissa it was an escape from home, taking a rare break from planning the wedding, they had gone to visit Hermione, the school year was winding down, the pupils had switched into the holiday mood, very few people were at the school, the weather playing a large part, Hogsmeade would be bursting with life, many students spending the last of their cash on butterbeer, sweets and other things.

They walked hand in hand around the Black Lake, she felt elated, it brought back so many memories, she and her sisters would sit in their special place at the far side of the lake, far from prying eyes, this time it was a far more romantic assignation, she enjoyed stealing kisses every now and then. Having almost completed a full circuit of the vast body of water, they stood at the fringe of the Forbidden forest, Harry's arm snug around her waist, they stood awhile in thought. Thinking about his first trip into the forest and the last, he kissed her cheek and they moved on.

 

Eventually they returned to the castle and had dinner with Hermione in her quarters, afterwards, full of food and a few glasses of elf wine, they settled down to a game of Scrabble, Harry waved the white flag immediately, claiming to be far too fuzzy headed to play, as the tiles were shuffled they talked about the wedding, she looked round as Harry's rhythmic stroking of her back stopped, he had fallen asleep, the women just smiled and carried on with their game, the clock had not long chimed nine o'clock, Narcissa felt a wave of nausea wash over her, she raised her hand to her mouth and stifled a belch, she felt the colour drain from her face and Hermione looked concerned.

 

“Are you OK, would you like me to call Poppy?”

“No! It's fine, I'm just tired, perhaps I have been over doing it lately, I'll just wake Harry and he can take me home”

 

The young witch failed to hide the look which quite clearly said 'I told you not to over do it.' Harry woke up with a start, claiming he'd just been resting his eyes, she smiled weakly at him and took some slow, deep breaths to fight off another rush of nausea, clearly worried, he bade Hermione a quick farewell and helped Narcissa up and into the fireplace. Back in Grimmauld Place, Harry offered to contact St. Mungo's.

 

“I'm fine, honestly” he looked far from convinced “Hermione was right, I've been over doing things, I just want to go to bed and sleep it off, it's probably just a stupid cold”

 

He reluctantly agreed and they made their way to bed, she was asleep mere moments after laying down and getting comfy, still anxious, Harry lay awake listening to her breathing, in the end, with his eyes burning from tiredness, he draped an arm gently around her and settled in behind her and fell asleep.

She woke up early and felt even worse than she had the night before, carefully she disentangled herself from Harry, certain that he could sleep through anything, she hurried to the bathroom and gathering up her long, blonde tresses in one hand, she used the other to steady herself as she parted company with the contents of her stomach, not the flu then, some kind of stomach bug, she called for Kreacher and tasked him with getting a few potions from the manor for her, the elf was only too happy to oblige, he returned after only a few moments, she uncorked the bottle with shaking hands and drank, feeling slightly stronger she pulled the chain and walked to the sink, the tap was run and she splashed some water on her face, glad of the coolness, her skin prickled with heat but didn't feel feverish, after brushing her teeth thoroughly, she left the bathroom and slid back under the duvet.

 

When she woke up hours later she didn't open her eyes straight away, surreptitiously her hand moved out to Harry's side of the bed, it was cold and her heart sank, a slight creak of a floor board made her aware of someone in the room, she felt herself shift a tiny bit, someone was sitting on the bed.

 

“I know you are awake Cissy, no point pretending, it's not like you to be lazy”

“Andi? What are you doing here? Where's Harry?”

 

She sat upright and regarded her sister with tired eyes before flopping back onto her pillows and pulling the covers back up to her neck

 

“I much prefer it when he wakes me up” her grumbling was muffled by bed clothes

“I don't want to know, but to answer your question, Harry was called into work, he said you had been out of sorts and asked if I could come over”

“I don't need a babysitter, I'm fine, just tired, and I have had a good sleep”

“Well you look like shit and Harry was worried, now get up and put your face on”

 

In a childish and futile display, Narcissa launched a pillow at her sister as she exited the room, it bounced harmlessly off the door frame, Andromeda chuckled and pulled the door closed, she didn't like being spoken to in such a way, and had little time for uncouth language, she felt a bit guilty for making Harry worry, she sat on the edge of their bed and hugged herself, she loved him for caring, smiling to herself, she crossed the room and set about making herself presentable.

 

Andromeda had made herself at home, breakfast was cooking, Narcissa's stomach lurched uncomfortably and rearranged itself into hunger pains, she fixed herself a drink and patiently waited for her sister to serve, feeling hungry like never before she ate second helpings.

Her sister sat down opposite and looked at her with dark brown eyes, the light in the room cast shadows on her face and the resemblance to their eldest sister was more pronounced, her sister's eyes rested on her and her face was unreadable, Narcissa began to feel uncomfortable, and as the minutes passed it turned to annoyance.

 

“What?”

“Oh, nothing, it's just that I can see the change in you, I would never have thought it possible, you hung on father's every word, you were easily his greatest triumph, of course you had mother's cold heartedness, the perfect pure-blood daughter, years wasted as a slave to tradition, at least you and Lucius loved each other at first, I suppose you were lucky in that respect”

“What's your point?” her tone was icy

“You and Bella clung to those ideals for the most part, I don't think Bella was ever the dutiful wife, can you imagine? Lucius and Rodolphus never deserved to be married to my sisters, you were the dutiful wife, always in Lucius' shadow, and now you are free, I guess I'm trying to say that I'm glad to have you back Narcissa”

“I didn't hate you despite the things I said, I was afraid, I didn't have the strength to leave like you did and I didn't want to lose my humanity like Bella, I did the best I could with what I had”

 

The two women looked at each other and Narcissa reached for her sister's hand

 

“I'm sorry Andi, sorry for all the wasted years, and I missed you”

 

She sniffed and wiped a tear from each eye with her forefinger, her sister just smiled and nodded, the tender moment was diminished somewhat by Harry's arrival, the kitchen door slammed open and he staggered in carrying several boxes, the two women watched his unsteady progress as he crossed the room and carefully unloaded them onto the work top.

He turned to face the inquisitive stares and offered a lop sided grin, he tried and failed to tame an unruly bit of hair dangling over his right eye, he ran his fingers through his hair several times and gave up.

 

“Welcome home, everything OK at work?”

“Yes, Draco is even more irritating now he's been promoted, I swear he's trying to drive me mad, but his work is top drawer” he smiled at the expression on Narcissa's face

“Be nice to my dragon, he's being very civil about all of this”

“He is, thanks to you and Astoria, he wouldn't dare say anything, but I'll make a mental note of your pet name for him just in case” he winked at her and she rolled her eyes

“What are all the boxes?”

“Wedding stuff from Hermione, I'm not allowed to open them 'or else' for your eyes only, I must thank her for having them all delivered to my office, the trip home took three times as long”

 

Harry fixed himself a drink as the sisters chatted, there was something wonderful about the first cup of tea at the day, he couldn't stand the pitiful excuse for tea available at the Ministry, some of the biggest names in magic all under one roof, so much magic, and the best they could manage was a sweet cup of tepid, brown water, he shuddered at the thought. He walked over to the table and stood behind Narcissa, he set his cup down and placed his hands gently on her shoulders, stooping to kiss the top of her head, he massaged her neck and she let her head rest against his stomach, Andromeda was talking.

 

“Cissy? Are you listening to a word I'm saying?” she made no effort to hide the amusement in her voice.

“Sorry Andi, he knows I like that and he does it on purpose because he thinks it's funny” she slapped his hands away with no real conviction

“It's not my fault she can't stay focused, I wasn't aware I was doing it”

“The grin on your face says different, Harry”

“Two against one, no fair, I can't believe you'd tell on me, it's all good, I've been meaning to take Teddy to Diagon Alley, I know this great joke shop, he can have some spending money and no restrictions”

“You wouldn't dare! I'd watch who you are threatening Mr. Potter”

“OK, OK, I'm not completely reckless, enough joking, I'm taking my lady out to eat, care to join us?”

“I'd love to but I can't, I promised I'd be back, Teddy is fine with my neighbour, but he'd never forgive me if I went out with Harry and Cissy and excluded him, you are all he talks about, I think I'll just drop him off here one day, I could use a break”

 

They said their farewells to Andromeda, she promised to give Teddy an extra hug from them both, and then she was gone, Narcissa wanted to go and change but Harry insisted that she was fine as she was, he commented that she looked a lot better, she felt a slight pang of guilt as she reiterated the point about her tiredness, and telling him that she had slept most of the morning and it had done her the world of good.

His plan was to apparate into the centre of London and see what took their fancy, he was in the mood for something muggle, and it helped keep things low key, that choice pleased the blonde witch, in her current state, the last thing she wanted was an unwelcome audience, she hadn't given it much thought because she had eaten a lot at breakfast, but she was famished, hopefully the stomach bug was long gone, one of those twenty four hour things, she certainly felt like her usual self.

 

They appeared in a secluded back street and walked a short distance to Oxford street, at that time of day the streets were teeming with people, the sky was cloudless, a pleasing wind kept the temperature down, he took her hand and linked their fingers, she liked this very much, they strolled along at a leisurely pace, like rocks in a stream the crowds flowed around them.

Narcissa stopped suddenly, a business man walked into the back of Harry, cursing at the young man's stupidity and lack of care for those around him, followed by a few angry mutters and looks from those inconvenienced by the stationary couple.

 

“What is that smell?”

“It smells like burgers”

“That's what I want, let's eat there”

 

Wearing a slightly bemused look, he allowed himself to be led inside, the place was packed, cutlery chinked off plates, a sound almost lost under the constant chatter of the patrons. A hot and bothered looking Greeter smiled at them as they approached, she let Harry request a table and tried to hide her puzzlement as the woman handed him a small, black rectangular piece of plastic, he took Narcissa's hand and walked over to the bar.

 

“What is that thing she gave you?”

“It's a pager, when our table is ready it will buzz to let us know”

“Oh, the things muggles come up with when they don't have magic”

“Shhhh, not so loud, you sound just like Arthur Weasley, he's fascinated by muggle devices”

 

Harry ordered her a cocktail containing some of her favourite things, it arrived in an explosion of colour and paper umbrellas, she viewed it with an air of suspicion and took a small sip, it was a bit too sweet but otherwise very nice, he ordered a glass of something Irish, it looked jet black with a thick creamy head on it, she couldn't help giggling at the foam moustache left behind from his first sip.

The device buzzed and rattled loudly on the top of the bar, it startled Narcissa and she sloshed some of the cocktail over the rim of the glass and onto her hand, she slowly licked the beverage from her fingers in a suggestive way, Harry's eyebrows disappeared into his fringe, he shook his head, took her arm and after a short walk, they were seated.

 

He passed her a menu and she disappeared behind it, the selection was massive, she couldn't quite put her finger on what all the fuss was about, it was essentially a meat sandwich packed with other elements that were meals in their own right. She settled on a creation called 'The Towering Inferno', a bacon double cheeseburger with home made chilli, side salad and seasoned curly fries, Harry opted for a BBQ chicken burger, a waiter came and took their order, alone again and warm hands took hold of hers, she liked his hesitant public displays of affection, the way her skin prickled with goosebumps at his touch, his hot breath and the feel of his stubble as he gently kissed her hand, the effect he had on her took her by surprise each time.

 

An internal struggle arose at this point, a battle between lunch and lust, lunch won, but only just, she couldn't understand why she was so hungry, she appeased her baser feelings by playing a game of her own, she quietly slipped off her shoe and ran her bare foot up his calf and along his thigh, he sat up sharply and rocked the table, the lighting in the restaurant masked his reddening features, his green eyes met her blue ones, she bit her bottom lip, just like she knew she did during certain activities, she rested her heel on his chair wishing for once that she was taller, but still able to rub enough inner thigh to make her man squirm.

Not to be outdone, he surreptitiously manoeuvred his hand below the table, warm fingers tickled across the top of her foot and up her shin, he shifted slightly, squeezing her knee, and then food arrived. She withdrew her foot, slipped her shoe back on and sat up in the chair, they shared knowing smiles across the table top.

 

She could hardly believe her eyes at the mountain of food in front of her, even Harry's burger, which had sounded quite modest was spilling out in every direction, she watched, fascinated as he picked it up and took a bite, sauce leaking all over the place, after a few bites it became slightly more manageable, he picked up a chip and dipped it in the fallen BBQ sauce before eating it, he treated his salad in much the same way.

Narcissa unwrapped her knife and fork from the paper napkin, and speared a coiled chip, she dipped it in the chilli, which was cascading down the side of her burger like edible lava, it was good, the chilli had the perfect kick, and the seasoning on the potato product was mouth watering, she carried on in this fashion, the curly fries diminished, the salad gone, and the tower still largely intact.

 

“Are you going to stop playing with your food and eat it?”

“It's so full, I don't even know where to start”

“Just squash it down, get a good grip on the top and bottom and take a bite”

 

She looked mortified at the idea, Harry smirked at her from across the table

 

“That sounds very messy, it'll go everywhere”

“I can't believe that you would shred your dress and duel in your bare feet but you won't eat using your fingers”

 

She pursed her lips as a sign of her annoyance, she didn't like being made fun of. he looked on in amusement as she tried to find an angle of attack, putting down the cutlery and pulling her chair in closer, she was painfully aware of being watched like a hawk and he wasn't hiding how funny he found it.

Unable to back down from any kind of challenge, she did as he suggested, the first bite caused chilli to haemorrhage out the back and sides, all over her hands, it was like nothing she'd ever eaten, the meat was succulent, the bacon was crisp, the cheese oozed and mixed with the chilli, she devoured it with amazing speed, Harry was impressed.

She looked at the aftermath, her hands had chilli sauce all over them, she knew there must be a fair bit on her face, the plate looked like the scene of a massacre, albeit a very tasty one, in an attempt to remove the look of amusement tinged with admiration from off her lovers face, she sucked her fingers clean before picking up the napkin and tending to her face, she rose from her chair and headed towards the ladies room.

 

Harry settled the bill, gathered up their things and waited for Narcissa in a little alcove near the toilets. Inside she looked at herself in the mirror and after the water ran hot, cleaned the remains of the meal from her skin, she shook the excess water from her hands, stopped briefly at the dryer and couldn't figure out how the stupid thing worked, with the absence of company, she pulled out her wand and dried herself.

She spotted Harry leaning against the wall, staring out across the crowded room, she felt the familiar feeling of desire, like a predator stalking prey, she moved silkily over to him, everyone was wrapped up in their own little worlds and not paying them any attention, she savoured the look on his face as he noticed her, his eyes widened as she stepped into his personal space, his back against the wall, nowhere to go, pinned between the painted bricks and her heaving chest.

 

“Don't think I've forgotten what you started Potter” she practically purred the words into his ear, she felt his breath hitch “I want to go home now”

 

He just nodded numbly, slack jawed, she caught his mouth with her own and just as he regained some measure of control, she broke away. With his arm around her waist they walked back out onto the street, the sudden brightness made them shield their eyes as they adjusted to it, she smiled to herself as she was led quickly along, his arm still around her waist but his hand rested firmly on her backside.

They ducked down a side street and from there into an alley behind one of the many businesses lining the busy London street, appearing outside Grimmauld place, she walked slowly backwards and beckoned to Harry with one finger, she waited by the front door for him to close the gap, she didn't mind being pushed back against the ancient door as his want for her overrode reason, he fumbled to get the door open and when the latch released they half fell and half staggered into the entrance hall, she stifled a scream as they regained their footing, almost losing it immediately as he latched his mouth onto her neck, nipping gently at her pulse point.

 

They walked as calmly as they could past the portrait of Walburga Black, voices strained to appear normal as they exchanged formal greetings, once out of sight but not necessarily out of ear shot they carried on from where they left off, she had untucked his shirt and pulled it over his head, she ran her nails down his chest as he grabbed her arse with one hand and palmed a breast with the other, there was no way they'd make it to the bedroom and headed for the living room.

 

A shriek as they entered the room had the same effect as a bucket of ice cold water, she and Harry span round, wands drawn, Hermione peered out from behind her hands looking embarrassed and apologetic, Harry dashed from the room and came back in moments later, he hastily pulled his shirt over his head and tidied himself up.

 

“I'm so sorry, I had no idea, I didn't want to call for you, so I just waited, sorry”

“No need to be sorry, got a little carried away” Narcissa smiled at the young witch

“Is everything OK Hermione? We weren't expecting to see you today”

“I can tell” she winked at Harry “I'm afraid it's not great news, you might want to sit down”

 

The colour had drained from their faces now, Harry had a very unpleasant feeling in his stomach, Narcissa's mouth formed a thin line, all eyes were on the brunette in front of them, she shifted a little and reached for her beaded bag, after a few moments of rummaging, she emerged with a copy of the Daily Prophet, he couldn't see the whole thing but he recognised his face from the 'Undesirable No1' Ministry posters, the other one was unmistakeably Narcissa, an awful mugshot from before she was pardoned and released.

The paper was unfolded and held up for them both to see, as well as the less than flattering pictures was a large headline.

 

_**BLACK MAGIC** _

 

_ Their dirty secret is out! **W** rites Rita Skeeter, special correspondent _

 

Harry crossed the room and took the paper, groaning as he read.

 

_I can exclusively tell my rabid readers, that the once great Harry Potter has fallen under the 'spell' of none other than, Narcissa Black, As we know Mr. Potter played a large part in securing Ms. Black's release and pardon from the Minister for Magic, and now we know why, Harry Potter and Narcissa Black have apparently fallen in love and plan to marry in just a few weeks. (full details can be found on page 5)_

_Using his job at the Ministry, Mr. Potter hid his divorce from renowned Quidditch player and Magical Gaming Sports correspondent, Ginevra Weasley. Now, my beloved readers, the details are still unclear at this point, mostly due to Potter's Ministry protection and the fierce loyalty of his friends, we can only speculate as to how this has come about, Amortentia, the Imperious curse, or perhaps the Boy-Who-Lived-Again has willingly gone over to the dark side._

 

_As you know from my extensive coverage of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Mr. Potter's mental state was called into question several times, it pains me to tell you that my search for the truth has been hindered at every turn, but I will tell you everything I have learned from my source, who has come to me, so that you may know the awful truth........._

 

_story continues on pages 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, also included, the life and times of Harry Potter, entitled, what we know so far._

 

Narcissa closed her eyes and held a hand over her chest, Harry just sighed heavily.

 

“What do you know about it Hermione?”

“It was Ron” seeing the looks of horror on their faces, she continued quickly “Let me explain, he left the wedding invite on his desk at the joke shop, and Ginny went to visit, she saw it and blabbed to the Skeeter woman, the protection Kingsley put in place doesn't work if one of the parties involved willingly offers up the information, Ron wanted to come himself, but he is busy, so he messaged me, we wanted to warn you, I'm so glad I got here first”

“We can't change the wedding date” Narcissa spoke quietly and looked solemn

“We aren't going to change it, so what if it's all out in the open now, we are getting married, and if people can't handle it, then they aren't worth my time”

 

The atmosphere in the room was heavy, it was inevitable that it wouldn't be a secret for long, but knowing the Skeeter bitch and the way she twisted everything, Harry would rather have shouted it from the Ministry rooftops, he turned to face Narcissa and gave her a reassuring smile, she still looked pale, paler than usual, she was swaying slightly and Harry's brow creased with concern, unable to make his legs move and sensing something was wrong, he could only watch as her beautiful blue eyes rolled back into her head and without warning, she collapsed onto the floor, Hermione was already up and calling for help, Harry forced his legs to move and in no time was knelt by her side calling her name.

Narcissa heard the commotion as if filtered through water, she felt Harry near her, then everything faded into darkness.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter, in my opinion, is the weakest, so lets put in a warning for OOC, sorry!

“Am I dead?”

 

Narcissa recognised her own voice but was unsure whether or not she had spoken out loud. The sound fell flat and there was no response, maybe she hadn't spoken out after all, she tried to move and couldn't but the effort caused white spots to explode behind her eyes.

She felt her chest rising and falling rapidly, not quite at the brink of hyperventilating, she squeezed her eyes tight and concentrated on her breathing, after a time it slowed to normal, there wasn't a sound except the steady thump of her heart and whisper of blood in her ears.

 

“Oh no, definitely not dead.”

 

After she had recovered from the shock of not being alone, Narcissa felt incredibly vulnerable, she had no idea if the stranger meant her harm. Unlike her own voice, the sound had projected and echoed around the space in which she resided, the voice, though distorted, sounded strangely familiar to her, it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

She opened her eyes, there was a vague light source but nothing in her periphery gave her any kind of clue as to where she was, she shut her eyes again and listened, footsteps, staccatoed and erratic, as they came closer she could hear the swish of material along the floor.

A metal legged chair was dragged, screeching in protest, across the tiled floor, the silence returned after it was spun 180 degrees, the visitor must be sat astride the chair, this suspicion was confirmed by the rhythmic drumming of long nailed fingers upon the chair's back.

 

The tapping stopped abruptly, the chair legs made only the slightest sound as the occupant stood up, it fell deathly quiet again and Narcissa strained her ears for even the tiniest noise, for good or bad, the only option available to her was to open her eyes, she did this very slowly and allowed her eyes to focus.

Her sister's face looked down at her and she was drawn to her eyes, into their infinitely black depths, her head was cocked to the side, like a cat staring at a bird through the bars of it's cage, she could hardly believe what she was seeing, it could only be a dream, a bad dream.

Bellatrix smiled, her teeth were still rotten, Narcissa wrinkled her nose at the smell of decay, when she had been freed from Azkaban, she had begged for her sister to let her fix her teeth, she refused, it helped maintain her fearsome reputation, or so she had claimed.

 

“Wakey wakey” the two words were delivered in her trademark sing song voice

“I'm not awake, this is just a dream, a bad dream”

“Well that's just charming! Is that anyway to speak about your dearest, darling, departed sister?”

 

Bella danced erratically around the bed laughing all the while

 

“Like I said, this is just a bad dream, I collapsed, I'll wake up in bed, or in hospital and this will all be a distant memory, I imagine Harry and Draco will be worried sick”

 

Bellatrix stopped mid pirouette and exhaled, it was like a raspberry of disgust, completely childish and so very Bella, she trotted back into Narcissa's field of vision and stared at her questioningly.

 

“Harry and Draco? Harry fucking Potter?

“Must you use that word? I didn't even say anything out loud, how could you know what I said?”

“Cissy, I hate to break it to you, but this is all in your head” her raucous laughter was painfully loud, this space had acoustics that defied convention “I quite like swearing, I find it incredibly expressive, I have quite the repertoire, care to hear?”

“No thank you”

 

The two women regarded each other in silence for quite some time, Narcissa wished above all else that she was in a position to wipe the stupid grin from her sister's face, Bella was soon distracted and took to fiddling with her silver bird skull necklace.

 

“Tell me baby sister, why would Harry Potter be worried about you?”

“Don't you know? I thought you were in my head”

“I am, in a sense, but there is something you are desperate to hide, you are afraid Cissy and this is a chance for you to confront your fears, although I have no idea why you'd be afraid of little me” her decaying smile wasn't reassuring

“I'm not afraid of you Bella, I never was, you were always my protector”

 

As the silence flooded back into the room, or whatever this place was, Narcissa recalled a conversation she had with Harry, it took place around the time he had brought home the Pensieve. After Voldemort had struck him down with Avada, and the Death Eaters were concerned with the effect it had had on their Lord, for he too had collapsed. Harry had lain on the forest floor, largely forgotten. He had told her about how he was in some kind of limbo, and there he had met Dumbledore, they had talked and he had gained a degree of closure, perhaps this was her chance for the same.

 

“Bella?”

“Yes, Love”

“I lied about Harry being dead”

“You did WHAT?!?!” she ignored Bella's shriek of outrage and continued, feeling bolder by the minute.

“It gets better”

 

Her sister's head snapped up and her black eyes burned with hate, her face twisted in anger.

 

“How could it be better, it's your fault that filthy half-blooded cu--”

“Don't you DARE say that word in front of me”

“My own sister is a fucking traitor” Bellatrix folded and unfolded her arms across her chest, clearly agitated. “It matters not, the boy would have been no match for my Lord” she crossed her arms across her chest again, her features a mask of smug satisfaction

“The war is over and we lost, not only that I'm glad, the world is a much better place and what's more, Harry kept me from Azkaban, he gave me my life and my son back, we became friends, and then lovers.

 

The dark haired witch wore a look of utter disbelief, her mouth struggled to shape the words to express her feelings, Narcissa continued to talk in the wake of her sister's verbal impotence

 

“He loves me and I love him, we are getting married, well I hope so, providing I can just wake up from this awful dream”

 

Bella started to laugh, a quiet chuckle at first, it built up into her maniacal, insane, shrieking laugh, she continued until a lack of air caused her to stop, wheezing and gasping, she recovered quickly and spat her words with as much venom as she could muster.

 

“You spread your legs for your freedom, that spineless brat and your wealth, well done sis” her voice dripped sarcasm

“I don't give a-a _shit_ what you think, I'm happy and that's all that matters, I know everything will be fine, this is just a dream”

 

Narcissa turned her head and stared at the ceiling, she couldn't bare to look at Bellatrix a moment longer, she closed her eyes tight and was surprised to feel tears roll slowly down the sides of her face, she heard movement near her but didn't react.

She let out a cry of surprise as her left eyelid was opened wide by a thumb and forefinger, what on earth was Bella playing at? Bright wand light entered her vision, she was unable to shy away from the glare, then it was gone, she squeezed her eyes shut, her other eye was subjected to the same treatment, she felt a slight pressure on her abdomen and everything went dark and still.

 

As if someone was trying hard to tune a radio, sound filtered in and out, she tried to concentrate on the noise, she could just make out talking, the clarity came slowly, she was unable to identify the owners of the voices but there were at least three people nearby.

A woman's voice, presumably a Medi-Witch, was talking about her condition, her voice was so familiar, but she still couldn't place it. There was nothing she could do except lay there and wait for this temporary paralysis to wear off.

 

“She's going to be fine”

“Are you asking me Harry, or reassuring yourself?”

“Both”

“Then yes, she will be fine, she's under a sedation spell, all signs show that she was exhausted and self medicating against a cold”

“Thanks Astoria, Does Draco know yet?”

“Yes, he'll be along, I warned him to behave and not to worry, but be prepared”

“So what's wrong with her, what caused the collapse? She had been fine by all accounts, right up to that point”

“Well that's the thing Hermione, I'm surprised she didn't recognise the signs, and it's obvious none of you know either” the woman looked anxious “there's no easy way to say it”

 

The two friends stared at Astoria Malfoy expectantly, suddenly the curtain was swept aside and three pairs of eyes turned to see a red faced Draco enter, he looked at his wife and managed a smile. His gaze was drawn to the prone figure on the bed and the colour drained from his pointed features, Harry couldn't blame him, Narcissa still looked stunning in his eyes, but her face was drawn and her eyes were sunken with deep purple rings around them.

 

“What the fuck happened Potter?”

 

Before Harry could open his mouth he had already directed another question at Astoria

 

“Is she going to be all right?”

“Yes Draco, I was just about to tell Harry what the tests revealed, and that kind of language is not called for”

 

She gave her husband a severe look and he had the decency to look uncomfortable until she finally looked away. She collected up her clipboard and idly flicked through the pages, she cleared her throat and looked Harry dead in the eye

 

“I don't quite know where to begin, it's nothing bad” she hastily added as she saw the fear on each face “she's pregnant”

 

The expected silence didn't come, Draco launched himself at Harry and punched him square in the face, his glasses clattered across the floor, Hermione screamed and jumped out of the way as Harry fell to the floor at her feet clutching a broken and bleeding nose, he muttered expletives and got unsteadily to his feet, he ran his hand under his nose and streaked blood down to his wrist. The two women watched in horror as Harry landed a solid punch to the side of Draco's face, the two men tussled, each fighting for the upper hand, they lost their footing and landed heavily on the floor.

 

“You are a moron Potter, are you so fucking stupid you don't even know how contraception works?”

 

He spoke through gritted teeth, and tried to regain his breath

 

“Narcissa assured me that she took her potions with strict regularity” he struggled to sound coherent, his broken nose affected his speech

 

Astoria cast 'incarcerous' on Draco and levitated him to a nearby empty bed. Hermione did the same to Harry, the women ignored their pained protests

 

“She had been taking them, these things happen Draco, by all accounts it's a very healthy baby, very magical, and we think that's why she collapsed, it's very demanding”

 

Hermione was tempted to fix Harry up while Astoria worked on her husband but didn't want to step on the woman's toes, the young doctor finished up with Draco and moved on to Harry, he exhaled sharply as his nose snapped back into shape and gave his thanks

 

“I'm not releasing either of you until I'm happy that you can behave like adults, I've never seen anything like it, this should be happy news! Draco, you get to be a big brother, you told me once you'd have quite liked a brother or a sister. Harry, I understand why you retaliated, but this is not the time or the place, and you can deal with it a damn sight better than you have done thus far”

 

Neither man could look Astoria in the eye, Draco looked embarrassed and Harry felt terribly ashamed.

 

“Sorry Draco, despite everything I don't really blame you, I can't imagine how I'd feel in your position”

“Shit!” Draco took a deep breath “all that matters is that mother recovers and that she's happy, I'm sorry Pott..., Harry, it was a huge shock, not the diagnosis I was expecting at all, I overreacted but that's a poor excuse, sorry”

“Yeah” he let out a small chuckle “no harm done, magic is great, there's not a mark on me”

 

Seemingly satisfied that there would be no more fighting, Astoria released them. Harry found that he was able to move again, he crossed the room and retrieved his glasses, as he stood cleaning the lenses on the hem of his shirt Narcissa called his name. There was a collective sigh of relief from the group, Harry rushed to her side and could barely keep the smile off his face, he gently ran his fingers down her arm and linked them with hers, he peppered her face with kisses.

 

“You scared me”

“I know, I'm sorry, you and Hermione have been telling me not to overdo it for days, how long have I been here?”

“Almost a day, how do you feel?”

“A little bit weak, I probably look worse than a banshee”

 

Harry helped her to sit up and handed her a glass of water, as she drank he sat on the bed behind her, the glass was soon empty and placed back onto the nearby table, she smiled and settled back against him, he kissed the top of her head and wrapped a supportive arm around her, contentedly stroking her hair.

 

“What was wrong with me, do you know?”

“Yes, Astoria has been handling your case, Draco arrived not that long ago and Hermione has been here as long as I have”

 

The trio had made themselves scarce and emerged smiling from behind the curtain of the bed opposite. Draco gave his mother a hug, the two women expressed their joy at her recovery.

 

“Is anyone going to tell me what's wrong with me?”

“Yes, Harry will, I must get going, see you soon mother” and after giving Astoria a parting kiss, the blonde haired man left

“I have to go and do my rounds or the matron will be most annoyed, I'll be back a bit later” Astoria collected a few items and departed

“I'm going to leave you two together, you'll be home soon and we can put the finishing touches to the wedding preparations” she smiled at Narcissa and didn't quite meet Harry's eyes before leaving.

 

The witch had a feeling that something was being kept from her, something important, she was more worried than annoyed and didn't have the energy or inclination to do much about it, much was down to her unwillingness to leave Harry's embrace, she liked the sensation of him playing with her hair. Her voice was calm and even, she just repeated her inquiry.

 

“What did the tests show?”

“For the most part they showed that there was nothing wrong with you”

“I didn't collapse because of that bloody article in the Prophet, tell me what they found or Merlin help me when I get my wand back”

“Ok, ok, um, you're pregnant”

 

Harry had expected some kind of outburst, he was braced for it but it never came, he couldn't see her face and surmised that she was just staring into the middle distance, her hands gently stroked her stomach. He didn't know what else to say at that time and he wasn't even sure he would have been able to say anything, even if he had something in mind, he rested his cheek against her head, held her and waited.

 

“I took my potions, there couldn't have been anything wrong there, it's impossible”

 

She spoke so softly Harry almost didn't realise she had spoken, he almost asked her to repeat it but bit his tongue, she was obviously just voicing her thoughts, the next time she spoke it was in a slightly louder voice.

 

“I always wanted another child but Lucius wouldn't entertain the idea, once he had his heir that was all that mattered” the bitterness in her voice was apparent “I'd love a little girl, with black hair and green eyes, just like in my dream”

 

Harry listened intently, his mouth was dry and he desperately wanted his mind to cooperate and give his mouth the right words to say. Narcissa twisted herself around so that she could see him, his heart broke a little at the sight of her, her eyes filled with unshed tears and the fear and anguish on her otherwise perfect features.

 

“Talk to me, tell me that you want this, I couldn't bear to get rid of it and I don't want to lose you”

 

She broke down then, huge sobs shook her whole body, despite the awkwardness of their positions, Harry scooped her up and pulled her close, his arms wrapped tight around her, she clung to him and wept against his chest. Harry swallowed hard, and took a deep breath, he was close to joining her but not out of any kind of sadness, this was great news and he felt that he had found the words he'd been searching for.

 

“I do want this, I want to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you, I love you and this child is the best surprise, I know it's unexpected, I assumed you wouldn't want another child, I honestly hadn't given it much thought, but now, I couldn't be happier”

 

He ran his hand down the side of her face and gently cupped it under her chin, she resisted his attempts to lift her face up, she didn't want to be seen in such a state. Harry wore away her resistance with soothing words until she relented, finally their eyes met, he brushed stray hair away from her tear streaked face and tucked them behind her ears, he smiled and moved closer, her eyes slid closed in anticipation then his lips were on hers, he could taste the salt of her tears on her lips, he deepened the kiss and she shifted her weight just enough to unbalance him.

The kiss was broken as he fell back on the bed, she uncurled herself and shuffled up the bed alongside Harry, he pulled her onto his chest much to her delight and began kissing him with renewed vigour.

 

“It seems our patient is on the mend”

 

The couple split apart and looked up at their visitors slightly red faced, Astoria had returned with a severe looking Medi-Witch, she must be the Matron. Astoria smiled at them out of sight of her boss.

 

“Miss Black, it seems that now we've ascertained the cause of your collapse and prescribed the correct medication, I see no reason why you can't go home, I will leave Mrs Malfoy to take care of the particulars”

 

The woman cast a final glance at Harry and stomped out of the room leaving behind an apologetic looking Astoria.

 

“If you feel able, you are allowed to go home, but you must have at least two days of bed rest”

 

Narcissa smiled and ran her nails down Harry's chest, the action didn't go unnoticed and she continued.

 

“The key word is rest! Harry, you will make sure that she gets her two days of rest, or else, do you think you're strong enough to make the trip home?”

“I think I will manage”

“Then sign this paperwork and you are free to go, I will see you both soon”

 

Harry, with the help of Kreacher, got Narcissa settled in, he ate his dinner in bed with her and once the dishes had been cleared away, he made himself comfortable and she lay her head on his lap and fell asleep.

He read for a time until his eyes got heavy, he was a little uncomfortable but decided he could live with it, she was sleeping so peacefully, his head slumped forward onto his chest, his glasses crooked. Narcissa stirred briefly in the night, she carefully moved him so he wouldn't wake up in agony, wrapped herself around him and fell back asleep.

 

Harry woke first and left Narcissa sleeping, he went to the kitchen and fixed himself some breakfast and a cup of tea, he prepared scrambled eggs, toast and coffee, for fun he pulled out his wand and conjured a small vase containing a single red rose, whistling tunelessly he carried the offering up to his bedroom.

She was awake and sat at the dressing table brushing her hair, she smiled at him and he placed the tray in front of her, they kissed and he went and laid back on the bed while she ate. After breakfast she disrobed and was in no hurry to dress, much to her chagrin, Harry was unwilling to break doctor's orders, she had sulked a little bit, but struggled to stay mad under a barrage of affection, they enjoyed a lazy day together, with less than a week until the wedding there was only a few tiny details to take care of. Narcissa spent her time poring over notes and conversing with Hermione.

 

With three days until the wedding Harry could feel his nerves beginning to jangle, and the butterflies in his stomach were a constant companion, he was sat on the sofa when Narcissa entered, he was going over reports from work, his brow creased in concentration.

She adjusted what little clothing she was wearing and walked over, in one fluid motion all of Harry's paperwork had been displaced and drifted to rest all over the floor, the anger died in his eyes when he saw her, she leant forward and kissed his slack mouth. As she moved away she slipped free from the loose fitting negligee, hungry green eyes took in the view, pale legs slid either side of his as she straddled him.

 

She shot him a salacious smile as he responded to the stimuli she was providing and licked her lips, he pulled the garment down and it restricted her arms, before she could protest his hot mouth found her pulse point, and she pressed her body closer to him, he kissed as much of her exposed body as he could.

The flimsy material ripped as she wrenched herself free, she frantically removed his top and sat up, he didn't need telling twice as Narcissa demanded the removal of his trousers, her nails dug into his back as he ran his hands down her body and rested them on her hips, his lust filled eyes locked with hers and he slowly guided her down, her hiss of pleasure sent goosebumps prickling across his flesh, she rolled and ground her hips as they kissed each other, Harry did his best to fight the assault on his senses, she scratched and bit and whispered in his ear, he clung to her as they rode out their climax.

 

They held each other as their bodies cooled, he failed to mask his disappointment as she extricated herself and made to leave the room, she silenced his protests with a single finger placed over her lips.

 

“I'm going to bathe, I will understand if you don't want to join me”

 

He shook his head and gathered up the clothes, he could hear her laughing as she went upstairs, when he finally joined her the bathroom was filled with steam, they spent a pleasurable few hours loving and washing each other, the cool of the bedroom was most welcome, Harry dried and dressed in jeans and a shirt, Narcissa wore a plain dress, they lay on top of the bed covers and chatted until they were disturbed by a knock on the door.

 

“Are you two in there, are you decent?”

“Yes, come in Hermione”

 

The bushy haired woman entered and pulled out the chair by the dresser and sat down.

 

“How are you?”

“Great, I've got over the shock of the news and I think I'll still be able to get into my dress”

“Good, and no more dizziness or anything?”

“Narcissa has been absolutely fine, what's going on?”

“Well Ron and I were talking, and we had an idea”

“That doesn't sound great but go on”

“You need a stag and hen party”

 

She looked at the couple expectantly, Harry had seen her like this before, and it didn't usually bode well, no matter what excuse he came up with she would have a counter argument and solution, he exchanged a look with Narcissa who was wearing a mildly bemused expression.

 

“A stag and hen party?”

“Yes, oh come on, it will be so much fun, your last night of freedom before becoming a happy couple”

 

Two completely nonplussed faces just looked at Hermione, undeterred she ploughed on.

 

“I know you've both been married before but this is different, Astoria, Andromeda and myself will look after you and Ron, Draco and Neville will look after Harry, when we go our separate ways you won't see each other until you're stood before McGonagall ready to be bonded”

“I don't know Hermione, Narcissa's only been out of hospital three days and she can't drink because of the baby, I can't really see the point”

 

The young witch had a mischievous glint in her eye when she next spoke.

 

“I have a spell for just such an occasion, Astoria told me about it, it's a well kept secret and very complicated, basically I'm the only person who can pull it off, the top Medi-Witches and Wizards wouldn't consent to performing the spell for such frivolity, please say yes it'll be fun”

“OK”

 

Harry and Hermione were surprised that it was Narcissa who agreed. She was smiling, but it had an edge to it, and her voice was just a little too sweet.

 

“If he, or I do not make it to the wedding, I will hold you personally responsible”

 

She pointed a finger at the young woman and Hermione swallowed hard, the blonde witch smirked at her, the brunette rallied herself and tried to put them both at ease.

 

“Don't worry about a thing, you'll be in good hands, I have already threatened the boys, well Ron and Neville, by the look on Draco's face, Astoria had already talked to him”

“Are you sure? It's the night before the wedding, and I don't want the hangover from hell”

“Harry, I have potions and spells for every occasion, there is nothing to worry about, I'll see you here tomorrow night around 7pm”

 

She bounced enthusiastically over to the bed and hugged them both before she left.

 

“If this is a disaster, I'll blame you”

 

Narcissa slapped him playfully on the arm, he rubbed the spot in mock hurt, she screamed as he tackled her to the bed and he quieted her with a kiss.

 

“I'm sure it'll be fine and lots of fun.”


	18. Chapter Eighteen

Hermione arrived around 6pm, Harry and Narcissa were sat together on the sofa and looked up in surprise at their friends early arrival.

 

“Sorry for barging in, just wanted to tell you to floo straight to Andromeda's house, she owled me earlier, I'm going to get ready when I get there and just popped in to tell you”

“Thank you, I'll head right over when I'm ready”

“What about me?”

“Ron will be along shortly, don't look so worried Harry, everything will be fine”

 

She smiled brightly at them and left, Narcissa glanced at the clock and decided that it was probably time to get herself ready, as she tried to stand, hands pulled her back down, her stomach leaped at the sensation of the fall, she attempted to look annoyed when faced with Harry's broad grin. He kissed the underside of her jaw and her cool composure evaporated.

She let him continue, enjoying the feeling of his soft lips but as his hands began to wander she gripped his wrists and with a heavy heart, met his eyes and shook her head.

 

“Patience, it won't be long until we're married, and there will be plenty of time for that kind of behaviour, in fact, I will insist upon it”

“Oh you will? You're very full of yourself”

 

She sat up straight, her arms tight around his neck, she leaned closer, slowly, for the full effect and whispered in his ear

 

“Would you deny me?” she laughed at his expression “I didn't think so”

 

She flashed him a brilliant smile, got up off his lap and sauntered out of the room. He enjoyed their playful exchanges, he loved her confidence and was powerless to resist her, he sat there musing about the wedding, he wasn't keen on a party the night before the main event, but it wasn't the festivities that bothered him, it was more to do with not being able to fall asleep with or wake up to her.

A clearing of the throat made him look up, she looked amazing, her outfit was understated but she looked like royalty, silver and black silk shimmered like water, the skirt hugged her curves as did the blouse, she chuckled as he gaped at her.

 

“You may escort me downstairs Mr. Potter”

“It would be my pleasure Miss Black”

 

He left his seat and offered her his arm, she rested her head against his shoulder as they walked, in the kitchen he kissed her gently and pulled away, she ran her fingers through his messy black hair and pulled him back to her, they broke apart breathing heavily, she gripped his hair in her hands and he winced at the discomfort.

 

“You better be there tomorrow on time, or there won't be a place on earth you can hide”

“Don't you worry, I plan on being there early, I'll be waiting for you, now go before I persuade you to stay, I'm missing you already”

 

She smiled and stepped into the green fire. Narcissa stepped out into her sister's house and from the sounds coming from the living room, she had walked out into the middle of an argument.

 

“I'm not budging Hermione, it's not a good idea, I know you have potions to protect the baby and hangover cures but cutting loose, as you put it, isn't wise”

“We could just go somewhere muggle”

“No, I am happy to go out, a few drinks and a meal, somewhere in our world, somewhere with a bit of status, a place that won't look twice at four ladies having a meal and drinks, the wedding is public knowledge now and we should be keeping a very low profile. If we must go out, then I want to do it in a way that sticks two fingers up at those who buy into Rita Skeeter's bullshit”

 

Her sister and the young witch had become close during the planning of the big day, there weren't many people who could go toe to toe with Andromeda. They were alike in many ways, fiery, but for all the locking of horns, the arguing and unbelievable levels of stubbornness, they cancelled each other out. They started owling each other about wedding plans, then they started meeting in Hogsmeade at weekends to talk over coffee.

As Madam Puddifoot's was the only place to get a decent cup of tea or coffee, it became a source of much amusement for Narcissa, as they sat around Andi's house, on a rare occasion when they could all meet up, she made one too many 'date' jokes and incurred the wrath of them both, it wasn't funny after that.

The fire burst into life behind Narcissa and startled the woman, Astoria stepped out and smiled at her mother-in-law who signalled for her to remain quiet. She pointed towards the other room and the two women continued to eavesdrop.

 

“I still think hitting some muggle clubs is the best way to stay incognito, there are plenty of places to eat and we can have a few drinks and dance, there is no way anyone would recognise us”

“Hermione, I was young once, I was very young when I ran away from home, I used to go to muggle clubs, they are horrible meat markets full of drunk men all wanting a quick hook up, it could only end in disaster”

“They aren't all like that Andi, but you do have a point, fine, we will do it your way”

 

The young witch sounded less than impressed. The older witch's face softened considerably

 

“Don't look so dejected, we will still have a good time, it will just be more suited to ladies of our stature”

“Your stature perhaps, I'm the commoner amongst wizarding royalty”

“Don't sulk, you can't always have your own way, and no one thinks you common, my sister thinks very highly of you, I think very highly of you,” it had gone very quiet in the other room, a long time seemed to pass before Andromeda spoke “We best not keep our guests waiting any longer”

 

Andromeda stomped into the room where Astoria and Narcissa were stood and glared at the guilty looking pair.

 

“Do you disagree with me?”

“I suppose not, but let's try and make a night of it, I could easily have stayed at home, I must say that Harry was making a very convincing argument for me to stay”

“For the love of Merlin, please keep your sordid love life to yourself”

“Andi's only upset because it's the school holidays and she has a whole six weeks before she can go back to drooling over Teddy's school teacher”

“My dearest sister, when I told you to stop your coffee shop innuendos, I had hoped you'd take the hint and apply it to all aspects of my love life, I appreciate your concern, but I'm a big girl, and if you must carry on, as you can't seem to help yourself, I may have to siphon off a few choice childhood memories, there are a few that spring to mind that I think Harry would enjoy”

 

Narcissa's cheeks flushed, she asked Astoria to open the bottle of wine sat on the side, Hermione and Andromeda exchanged amused smiles. The wine was poured and distributed, they sipped at the dark red liquid appreciatively, it was a very nice vintage.

 

“How is your love life Hermione?”

 

Astoria asked the question quite innocently, the young witch caught Andi's gaze and was briefly reminded of how much the woman looked like Bellatrix, but her soft brown eyes twinkled with mischief.

 

“That's a low blow Astoria, my love life is non existent, I'm quite jealous of you all, I don't even have a crush”

“Something will come along, I assumed you'd be inundated with suitors”

 

She let out a snort of laughter and shook her head, taking a large sip of wine, Narcissa spoke up.

 

“So where are we going for our night out?”

“Astoria has done some research, and short listed a few places”

“OK ladies, the choices are The Golden Dragon, The Flaming Phoenix, The Faerie Garden or The Mermaid and Sailor”

“The Mermaid and Sailor? It sounds like a muggle pub”

“There is nothing wrong with the place, besides I like seafood, I also think it should really be Narcissa's choice, after all she's the bride”

 

They quietly sipped at their drinks while the blonde witch decided on where they would go, she had heard of them all, they were all very reputable, she hadn't been to The Faerie Garden in years, the weather had been glorious all day and retained much of its warmth, an alfresco dining experience appealed.

 

“I want to go to the Faerie Garden, I have fond memories of going there when I was younger”

“That's settled then, let's finish our drinks and leave.

 

(Scene Break)

 

Harry had stayed in the kitchen after Narcissa left and absent-mindedly massaged his scalp , he knew it wouldn't be long until he was with her again, and then it would be as man and wife, but he would miss her all the same, even more so when he eventually slept, he wasn't sure what the night had in store. As if in answer to his thoughts the flames grew large in the grate, Ron appeared and whacked his head on the mantel as he stepped out of the fire, Harry chuckled at the industrial strength language, his friend definitely had a way with words.

 

“Hey Harry, I've been told we are to wait for the ferret to arrive, Seamus can't make it, family emergency, personally I think it's an excuse” the tall man looked annoyed but it soon passed “I saw Neville today, he came into the shop and asked me if all the news was true, he was shocked at first, but the great Harry Potter can do no wrong in Neville's eyes”

 

Ron was distracted rubbing the spot where he'd banged his head, Harry made a move with the intention of giving his friend a good smack but the lanky ginger was too fast, he moved out of reach and caught himself on the fire place again. Cursing loudly he held his hands up in mock surrender, sought out some mugs and proceeded to make them a cup of tea, his wedding must be a special event for Ron to take the initiative and make them drinks.

 

“Cheers mate, it's about time you made a cup of tea around here, where the hell is Malfoy?”

“No idea, but this isn't my idea of fun, you, me and the ferret, how did we get talked into this?”

“The amazing coercive powers of Hermione Granger”

 

Ron chuckled as he sipped his tea.

 

“Well I do hope he turns up soon, I'm going to need a few drinks to get through tonight”

“Try and be nice, it's not an ideal situation for anyone, but it'll sure make my life easier if we all just get along”

 

His friend just grunted and Harry took that as a reluctant agreement. They drank their drinks and made small talk, mostly Ron talked as he listened, he talked about the shop, his girlfriend and his disappointment about the attitude of his family, that line of conversation soon died out, neither man had a whole lot to say about it, they both felt an acute sense of loss. The melancholy was interrupted by the arrival of Draco.

 

“Sorry for being late” he nodded his head towards them both “Astoria insisted on laying down the law, any chance of a drink, preferably something with a bit of a kick to it?”

“Yeah, no problem, Kreacher!”

 

The elf appeared and produced a fine bottle of fire whiskey, a generous measure was poured into three crystal tumblers and levitated into their waiting hands, the elf bowed low and vanished.

 

“That ugly little git is growing on me”

“Ron, don't talk about Kreacher like that, he is completely reformed, you saw this place, it's no wonder he acted the way he did”

“He's right Weasley, we learned the hard way when it came to mistreating creatures that we believed to be below us”

“Good old Dobby, let's not bring the mood down too much, this is supposed to be fun”

 

They raised their glasses and drank to those that hadn't survived the war.

 

“So Draco, what are we allowed to do?”

“Nothing! I don't dare defy Astoria, she's like mother, she knows everything, I was going to suggest a few muggle clubs, possibly a strip joint, copious amounts of alcohol and a kebab to soak it all up with”

 

Ron's eyes lit up and he looked at Draco in a new light.

 

“I'm guessing we aren't doing any of that”

“Nope, she was terrifyingly specific about what would happen if I didn't play nice and make sure you get to the wedding in good order”

“We can stay in and drink or we can go somewhere for food and drink?”

“That's pretty much what she said”

 

Ron looked as though Christmas and birthdays had been cancelled and he would be forced to exist on bread and water for the rest of his life.

 

“I think we should go out, although, ultimately it's down to Harry”

“I would like to go out, but I don't have a destination in mind”

“I have a great place in mind, my family and I used to go there, I doubt even Astoria could find a problem with it, we'll leave when you're both ready”

 

Harry had the feeling that he should change and attempt to look smart, he rushed up to his bedroom and changed into a smart set of jet black dress robes, he paused at the door and inhaled deeply, the room smelt of her and he just needed a reminder, he was counting down the hours.

 

(Scene Break)

 

The women walked and chatted, they rounded a bend a few hundred metres away from the apparation point and The Faerie Garden came into view, it was obviously magical. Hermione stood in awe, in front of her stood a tree, but it was unlike any tree she had ever seen, on a family holiday she had been to Canada and seen a giant redwood with her own eyes, this tree was at least ten times bigger and she couldn't see the top.

They came to a halt at a rustic wooden gate, a female centaur smiled at the group, she wore a shimmering green tunic, on closer inspection she saw that it was made of leaves woven with grass, it was exquisitely made, she addressed the group in a soft melodic voice.

 

“Welcome sisters of the house of Black, the moon has waxed and waned many times since you were last among us, and you have two foals with you, welcome young ones”

 

Hermione and Astoria smiled at her, Andromeda requested a table for four, the name of Black still carried a lot of weight here and they would get the best seats in the house. The gate swung open and they stepped through, the grass was thick and lush, flowers blanketed the magical meadow, Narcissa kicked off her heels and picked them up by their straps, they followed her lead, it was like walking on the softest carpet, they walked towards the tree.

 

The entrance was a huge knot hole near the base, stairs had been expertly carved into the wood, inside was huge, the massive trunk was hollow yet the tree was thriving, the place was remarkably well lit, fluctuating golden light danced across every surface, as Hermione focussed on a patch of light she realised that it was a cluster of faeries, they flew towards her face and she could feel the beat of tiny wings and tinkling laughter, then they moved away again.

 

A young male Centaur approached to show them to their table, Astoria took Hermione's arm and dragged her along, they were seated almost dead centre, part of the tree's heartwood had been carved into wondrous shapes, surrounding it was a circular pool filled with sparkling cerulean blue water, a few massive koi carp swam lazily by. Looking up towards the canopy a clear starlit sky was just about visible, the tables and chairs all seemed to be made from the tree and felt warm to the touch.

 

“Everything here is alive, this tree hasn't been abused in any way, the Centaurs crafted it like this”

“It's the most beautiful place I have ever seen”

“I'm pleased you like it so much Hermione”

 

(Scene Break)

 

Harry headed downstairs with a spring in his step, he was feeling a whole lot better about the evening, he entered the kitchen and was surprised to see Ron and Draco conversing like normal adults, the topic was Quidditch, considering who they both supported he was amazed the kitchen was still in one piece.

 

“I'm ready, where are we going?”

“That's a secret Potter, wouldn't want to ruin the surprise, seeing as you don't know the location we'll have to side along apparate, can we do that from in here?”

 

Harry nodded, Draco held out his arm and he and Ron took hold, seconds later they were stood on a country road, it wasn't remarkable in any way, it was a dead end, a large circle of tarmac, in the centre stood an ancient looking tree, grass grew long around its trunk and roots, a dry stone wall completed the layout.

 

“Where are we?”

“Somewhere in the west country, I was only a young boy when I came here last, I think it's somewhere on Bodmin moor”

 

Draco strode off down the road and the two men followed trying to match his brisk pace, it was a nice night to be out, the moon lit the countryside and the sky was full of stars, the lane twisted and turned, high hedges ran along each side.

 

“How far away is this place?”

“It's not far now, just a few more bends”

 

They walked for a further five minutes, Draco stopped suddenly, Ron and Harry narrowly avoided walking right into the back of him, he pointed and they followed the direction of his finger.

 

“What in Merlin's name is that?”

“Welcome to The Faerie Garden, it's a fantastic place, Centaurs run it, it's very exclusive, no one could find a fault with my choice of venue this evening”

 

They approached the entrance, a female Centaur viewed them impassively.

 

“Good evening gentlemen, how may I serve you this evening?”

“A table for three please”

“The best you have, it's a special occasion, Harry is to be married tomorrow”

“Harry Potter? By the stars, it's an honour, please enter, once inside you will be well catered for”

 

The Centaur inclined her head towards them and allowed them entrance, they walked across the meadow, a warm wind made the grass and flowers sway, it was very relaxing. They passed through the natural arch and into the hollowed out trunk, the majority of the diners were wealthy looking witches and wizards, an elderly looking warlock sat at a grand piano that looked like it had been grown, he played skilfully, Ron was mesmerized by the wood nymphs as they danced to the music, Harry nudged him sharply in the ribs as a severe looking Centaur trotted over, his coat was black as were his eyes.

 

“Young masters, I have the perfect table set aside for you, this way please”

 

They were led to a table in the centre, as they pulled back their chairs a shrill voice called their names, a few fellow diners raised their heads at the noise, mild annoyance on their faces at the break in the tranquil atmosphere.

 

“What on earth are you lot doing here?”

 

The three men and the dark Centaur stood stock still as the bushy haired girl approached, Draco was the first to recover and quietly requested that the tables be merged. Narcissa looked delighted, Andromeda and Astoria looked a little bit surprised.

 

“Great minds think alike, I'm pleased that you took notice of me Draco, seeing as we are all here, we might as well enjoy it, so much for keeping you apart before the big day”

 

Harry sat next to Narcissa and received a chaste kiss, Draco slid in beside his wife, Ron took the empty space opposite Hermione and Andromeda, the menus were passed around, the order was taken and the glasses on the table filled with their drinks of choice.

As they waited for the food to arrive Andromeda amused them with a few choice tales from her childhood and didn't spare her sister any blushes. In her youth, Narcissa had been crazy about animals, while her sisters and parents had left her unsupervised, she had managed to lure a unicorn foal into the house and up to her bedroom, Andi had found her trying to tuck it up in her bed and swiftly summoned Bella, they narrowly avoided being gored, the creature had panicked and caused a fair amount of destruction, somehow they had managed to hide the incident from their parents.

 

Harry was surprised to hear that Narcissa was a natural on a broom, Andromeda was shocked to learn that her youngest sister had frequently 'borrowed' her father's broom and practised flying on their quidditch pitch, she took a lot of pride in the fact that no one had known, it wasn't all guilt free, apparently the broom had been scratched and both her elder siblings had been called to their father's study and questioned, they had denied it but still received a lash from his belt, the youngest Black sister apologised, she had no idea her covert actions had landed her sisters in hot water.

 

Food arrived before the childhood tales became too embarrassing, the food looked sublime but it was nothing compared to the smell, those thoughts were surpassed after the first forkful passed their lips. Ron made a real effort to eat like a human rather than a pig at a trough, all of the diners cleared their plates and decided that there was always room for dessert.

Harry and Narcissa were called out for feeding one another, there was much tutting and eye rolling from Andromeda, Astoria leapt to their defence and proceeded to load up a spoon of the cake and cream for Draco, he misjudged the bite and his wife giggled hysterically as he grabbed a napkin to clean his face, the alcohol was flowing just enough to make them relaxed and cheery, full of good food and content, they sat and chatted until a chestnut coloured Centaur informed them that it was time for them to leave.

 

They walked back to the apparation point with a steady stream of patrons, the chatter was loud and jovial, a few members of the crowd viewed them curiously but if they had been recognised no one said anything, soon they were the only group remaining. The girls would be heading back to Andromeda's house, the boys were going to make use of Malfoy Manor, Draco wanted a few home comforts, namely a full English breakfast provided by the house elves, Ron had no complaints on that score.

Harry couldn't resist pulling Narcissa to him and kissing her, he whispered assurances that he would see her tomorrow and he couldn't wait to marry her, reluctantly they parted, both parties apparated away.

 

(Scene Break)

 

Hermione woke early the next day and busied herself with wedding preparations, the three bridesmaid dresses hung magically, they made her think of medieval princesses, the highly decorated sleeves and bodice glinted in the light, she ran the material of her dress through her fingers, it felt soft and light and reminded her of how Harry's invisibility cloak felt.

In the centre of the room was Narcisssa's dress, she walked around it several times, the train was the simplest part of it, but that, in and of itself was a work of art, viewing it up close was a revelation, the detail was immense, interlinked serpentine shapes made an intricate border, when viewed at distance a winged horse stood proud. The dress was comprised of several parts that made up the whole, the corset was fashioned from albino dragon hide, it allowed the dress maker to carve the designs into it, the sleeves were long and left her shoulders bare, a thin veil wrapped around her upper body and gave the impression that the carvings on the corset were alive, it tapered down to a point at the front, curved around Narcissa's hips and held the skirt tight to her waist.

The skirt fell to the floor like a waterfall, a two tone effect made it flit between platinum and silver, Hermione would swear that it gave off its own luminescence, she had only seen her wear it once and it had brought her close to tears, Harry was going to be knocked for six when he saw her later on that day.

 

Pleased that everything was in order she went into the kitchen to fix herself something to eat, she ate a simple breakfast of buttered toast and jam then made her way to the shower, she washed thoroughly and wrapped herself in a robe, it was still early, the household was waking and things were about to become very hectic, that was just regarding the queue for the bathroom. She went back downstairs and laid out everything she would need to fix everyone's hair and make up, she wondered if the boys morning would be as busy as her own.

 

(Scene Break)

 

Harry was shaken awake by Ron, it was rare for him to sleep in so heavily.

 

“It's ten o'clock, you need to get up, eat, wash and dress, hurry up you scrawny git”

 

He sat up as a towel was flung in his direction, he disentangled himself from that, then the sheets and shuffled his way to the edge of the bed, he groaned a little as he stood up, he made his way to the bathroom, the water brought him to full wakefulness, there were only a few hours to go, barely any time at all, time enough to get ready, but not enough time to rest on his laurels, panic was setting in and a sense of urgency lent speed to his actions.

 

With his towel tied tightly around his waist he headed back to his room, elves were summoned and breakfast requested, he ate swiftly and used the en suite to brush his teeth and tame his hair, he gave up taming his hair and went in search of clothes. Ron and Draco were in a side room to one of the large bedrooms, there were cubicles for dressing and full length mirrors at regular intervals around the room.

 

Harry was pleased with his suit, it was finely made, jet black, double breasted with a plain white silk shirt and bow tie, it fitted him like a second skin and magically enhanced so as not to cook him in the heat, once dressed he fussed over the rings despite Ron producing them on command several times.

At the stroke of midday a Hogwarts elf arrived and instructed them to apparate to a designated room within the school, Draco was led away to fulfil an extra duty, he would be giving his mother away in the absence of a suitable candidate, before he left he held his hand out to Harry, they shook hands and he turned and left. Ron slouched against the wall while the groom proceeded to wear a rut into the floor.

 

(Scene Break)

 

Astoria had left Andromeda and Hermione to tend to Narcissa, she was inspecting the Great Hall, there wasn't segregated seating, it would be woefully unbalanced, the enchanted ceiling reflected the gorgeous summer weather, the hall remained cool even during the hottest part of the day. Once the ceremony was complete the seating would be removed and the tables would line either side, these would hold the buffet, the stage would play host to the band.

 

In Mcgonagall's personal quarters Narcissa was having the final touches put to her dress, she slipped on the shoes and her sister attached the train, Hermione was applying light touches of make up, she needed very little, she stood back, satisfied with her efforts, Andromeda straightened out the train and adjusted the hem of the skirt, together they picked up the large mirror so that the bride could see the final result.

She gasped at her reflection, it was better than she had hoped, she was incredibly pleased with her hair, the slight curls had been made prominent, golden ringlets framed her face, the rest had been piled on top and pinned in place, a tiara matching the design of the dress kept her fringe in check, it left her shoulders bare and her neck exposed, tear drop earrings sparkled in the light spilling in from the window.

 

They turned at the sound of the door opening and Draco stepped into the room.

 

“How do I look?”

“Words fail me mother, Potter will be beside himself, I still have reservations but I can't find fault today, if you're sure about this and he makes you happy, then you have my blessing”

 

Narcissa blinked rapidly and fanned her face with her hand as she desperately tried not to cry, he crossed the room and she pulled him into an awkward hug, the two women moved in after the embrace was over to fuss over her dress.

 

“I'm slightly concerned that there's been no word from Mother”

“Grandmother is coming? Is that a good idea?”

“It's not like she gave us a choice, it was a condition of her agreeing to let the wedding go ahead”

“How is Harry doing?”

“He seemed pretty calm Granger, he scrubs up well”

 

Astoria came in, she beamed at Draco, it was almost show time, she had bumped into Minerva on her way back, she was on her way to collect Harry. The three bridesmaids went to put their dresses on, they had the best part of thirty minutes, more than enough time, the hard work was done. Twenty minutes later they were ready and waiting for the summons to the Great Hall.

 

(Scene Break)

 

The door opened unexpectedly, Harry placed his hand across his heart, the shock made it feel like it was about to beat out of his chest, the severe looking face of his old Headmistress softened slightly as she apologised for scaring him witless, it was time, he adjusted his suit, exchanged a look with his best man and they followed the elderly witch through familiar halls.

She held a door open for them and they stepped inside, Harry recognised it immediately, it was where he had come after his name flew out of the Goblet of Fire, the other exit to this room led to the stage that usually held the large carved phoenix shaped lectern and teachers' dining tables, he was nervous before, now he had discovered a new plane of nervousness, Ron gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder and he managed to give his friend a weak smile.

 

Muted noise filtered through the heavy oak door, the guests were arriving, after what seemed like an age the noise died down. The back door opened and Teddy came in looking resplendent in his custom made suit, he hugged Harry around the middle and Ron helped him place the rings safely in his pockets, his best man was adamant that the young lad got to present the rings and Teddy looked like he was going to burst with pride.

 

Two sharp knocks on the other side of the stage door brought another wave of nerves, he shivered and shook it off.

 

“Come on mate, in a few minutes you won't have anything to worry about, you'll be fine”

 

Ron strode over to the door and held it open, Harry crossed the threshold, his friend and godson close behind. He risked a look at the people assembled in the hall, there were as many unfamiliar faces as there were familiar ones, his eye was drawn to the back of the hall, an elderly lady was struggling to her seat, many others were still making their way to seats, he was gently steered in the right direction and took his place in front of Minerva McGonagall.

 

“You're looking very dapper Potter, she's a very lucky woman”

“Thanks Professor, I think I'm the lucky one”

 

The quiet roar in the room lessened by degrees, Harry cast an eye out across the assembly, each positive action, a wave, a smile or a thumbs up calmed his rattling nerves like a balm, there were just as many grim faced observers, he spotted the elderly lady he had seen struggling earlier, she had found a seat next to an eccentrically dressed middle aged woman, he could have sworn that the elderly woman had winked at him.

The giant doors opened a crack and the crooked figure of Argus Filch stepped through, he took up position, ready to open the door upon the arrival of the bride. Satisfied that the crowd had settled, McGonagall took out her wand and gestured towards an ageing piano, its pleasant sound filled the hall, as the last strains of the piano music faded a loud knock on the hall's grand doors echoed around the room.

 

The piano started again, Filch grabbed the large iron wrought handles and pulled them apart, every head turned towards the doorway. Harry's mouth went dry and he felt like he'd just been force fed gillyweed.

There was a collective gasp from the seated crowd, Andromeda and Astoria held the train and Hermione walked a few steps behind holding an impressive bouquet of Daffodils, he barely noticed Draco's almost imperceptible nod of the head, he only had eyes for the woman he was escorting. He would swear until his dying day that he had never seen such a beautiful sight, and doubted he'd see anything that would come close even if he lived for a thousand years.

 

Draco bowed and kissed his mother's hand before taking his seat in the front row beside Ron and Teddy. Astoria and Andromeda laid her train out behind her and Hermione handed her the bouquet, they curtsied in unison before taking their seats. While they waited for the murmuring to subside, Harry mouthed the words 'I love you', Narcissa looked close to tears, she mouthed the words back and gently dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief.

 

Minerva cleared her throat and all eyes in the room turned to her.

 

“Welcome to Hogwarts, for many of you, welcome back”

 

A small ripple of laughter spread round the room, she opened her mouth to speak again.

 

“We have gathered today to witness the bonding of these two persons, may I request the presentation of the rings”

 

Ron gave Teddy a wink and a tiny push in the right direction, he walked slowly up to the front until he stood between Harry and Narcissa who smiled down at him, he produced two boxes from his jacket pockets and handed them to the Headmistress, he turned towards the bride and she handed the young boy the arrangement of flowers, he bowed before returning to his seat. Harry took hold of her hands for the next part of the ceremony.

 

Minerva drew her wand and gestured to Hermione, she stepped up and handed Harry his wand and Narcissa hers, they were instructed to hold their wands in their wand hand, as they repeated the vows laid out by the Scotswoman, she took their free hands and placed them together, Harry gently closed his fingers around Narcissa's hand, warm golden threads poured from the tip of his wand as he repeated his vows. Silver from the tip of hers joined with the gold and wove together along the length of their arms. As the bonder, Minerva said her piece and threads of pure white light mingled with the gold and silver, it was almost too bright to look at, when the light faded she proclaimed the bonding a success.

 

The newly weds were instructed to take up the rings, Harry placed it tenderly onto his wife's finger, Narcissa did the same to her husband, the rings glowed briefly in acceptance of the union. The bit he was most looking forward to was equally the most nerve racking, the kiss.

 

(Scene Break)

 

At the very back of the hall a hunched old lady watched proceedings with unprecedented glee, she kept glancing at the woman to her left, the ceremony was reaching it's end, the elderly woman poked the middle aged woman with a bony finger, she whipped her head round and looked down her nose at the old lady, her nose wrinkled in obvious disgust.

 

“What is your problem you mad old bat?”

“Nothing dearie, I just don't want anything to ruin this moment, so I suggest calling an end to your plans to gatecrash this wedding”

“You are cracked, soft in the head, age is getting the best of you dear”

“There's nothing wrong with me Rita, but you shouldn't be here, you weren't invited”

 

The eccentric looking woman narrowed her eyes at the old crone, it was then she noticed a strange gleam in the woman's eyes. The woman cackled softly and then spoke

 

“A clever little charm, it allows me to see right through any glamours”

“Who are you?” she looked unsettled

“You'll see, any minute now”

 

On cue, subtle changes began to happen, slowly at first, her crows feet lessened and smoothed, she sat up straighter, Rita Skeeter's eyes grew as large as saucers, sitting by her side was Druella Black.

 

“I read your article, I'm pretty sure you have plans to ruin this day, I am suggesting that you do your best to make sure that doesn't happen”

 

To add incentive, Druella pressed her wand firmly into the reporter's side, she held one hand up to signify her compliance, her other hand reached into her bag, she removed a glass orb and shook it.

 

“It's done”

“You and I will sit and enjoy the rest of this wedding, they make a wonderful couple, the Boy-Who-Lived-Again is very well mannered and adheres to tradition, I'm quite fond of the young man, and my youngest daughter looks stunning, don't you agree?”

 

Rita just nodded, she had a face like thunder

 

“Good, good, I think you should write a wonderful piece about this, it's sure to be the wedding of the century, should I find your coverage unacceptable, then we will have a problem and I will be forced to visit you for an extended chat”

 

The newly wedded couple had reached the point of the kiss when the huge doors to the hall swung open and crashed loudly against the wall, a large crowd entered, all heads turned to the unexpected arrivals

 

(Scene Break)

 

Harry and Narcissa looked across the heads of the crowd at the newcomers, it was impossible not to notice the remaining members of the Weasley family, this must be the result of the article in the Prophet, Mcgonagall looked furious and more than capable of breathing fire.

 

“What is the meaning of this? Are we going to have a problem on today of all days?”

 

The crowd shuffled and talked among themselves. Everyone waited with baited breath for the outcome of this stand off, Molly Weasley stepped forward.

 

“We are just here for the wedding”

 

The Headmistress addressed the couple

 

“Are you happy for them to stay”

 

They exchanged glances with one another and nodded.

 

“Very well, I am pleased to declare this bonding complete, the magic accepts your love to be true, you may kiss your bride Potter”

 

As his lips met those of his wife a great roar thundered through the hall and rattled the stained glass windows, unnoticed by the masses, the lone figure of Rita Skeeter scuttled out through the doors, Druella Black rose from her seat and made her way towards the couple, those who noticed her gasped and pointed, those who had no idea who she was were quietly informed by their neighbour, as the news of her presence spread the noise lessened until it sounded like leaves rustling in a brisk wind.

 

She shook the reluctant hand of the woman in charge of the ancient school, kissed her son-in-law on each cheek and embraced her youngest daughter. Andromeda, Hermione and Astoria rallied the guests, removed the seating, set up the banquet tables along each side of the hall and disappeared through a side door only to return moments later with the band. The middle Black daughter took the opportunity to lead her mother by the arm and fix her a drink.

The band leader signalled to the musicians and they began to play a slow romantic number, magical light travelled along the floor, the guests swept away to the sides of the room, the light stopped on the bride and groom, Harry offered Narcissa his arm, Astoria quickly removed the train from the gown.

 

As they took to the floor magical confetti fireworks shot from every direction, no doubt supplied by Weasley Wizard Wheezes, as every colour in the rainbow fluttered all around, they began to dance, he placed his hands on her hips as she draped her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him. She sighed contentedly as he tried to explain how beautiful she looked, as the song ended and the next one began the floor slowly filled up.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

The enchanted moonlight shone down from the ceiling of the great hall and mingled with the hundreds of flickering candles. The star scape was better than any of the pictures seen through muggle telescopes, it was as if the roof had been completely removed. The music remained slow for the newly weds, many of the dancers who joined them on the floor were couples swept up in the romanticism of the event.

Narcissa rested her head against Harry's chest and allowed him to lead, it had been the perfect day, even the late arrivals had done little to bring down the mood. Harry cast his eyes around the room, Neville danced with Luna, Draco and Astoria passed by and smiled warmly at him, he saw many familiar faces as he danced through the mass of bodies. He recognised many more as the floor filled up and they danced around them. He spotted his best friend dancing closely with his significant other, it took him awhile to spot Hermione and he had to do a double take before he was sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.

Andromeda was leading Hermione energetically around the dance floor, much to the amusement of a crowd of their old school friends. Harry kissed the top of Narcissa's head and when she looked up to smile at him he nodded in their direction. He felt her laughing and she just shook her head, the women met their gaze and shrugged in unison. Clearly they were having a good time, most of the large crowd were couples and the few singletons were probably too intimidated to ask them for a dance.

 

The band brought the music to an end with a flourish, the dancers stopped and applauded. By coincidence Harry and Narcissa stood in the middle of the floor, soft warm hands cupped her face and brought their lips together in a searing kiss, the wolf whistles from the crowd, despite being incredibly childish were ignored by the couple. It wasn't long before the cheering and applause started and they could ignore it no longer.

Breaking apart they held hands at arms length and took a bow, then he pulled her back to his side and they walked over to the buffet. The spread was fantastic and Harry said a quiet 'thanks' to the army of house elves. In the very centre was Florean Fortesque's commissioned cake, four tiers of shimmering white icing and intricate design.

 

They moved down the table sampling the food, upon eating a rather tasty canapé he immediately picked up another and fed it to his new wife, they sampled the food in this fashion and soon they were joined by Hermione and Andromeda.

 

“You two looked like you were having fun, is there really that much of a shortage of eligible bachelors?”

“Very funny Cissy! Hermione wanted to dance and so did I, she is too fussy and I think I intimidate everyone”

“There's an understatement, I think most are terrified, and I'm not fussy, I'm just particular about who I'd dance with”

“There's a difference?”

“Yes” the young brunette folded her arms in indignation and held her head high, Narcissa smiled

“I'd forgotten how good you were at dancing, you and Bella were very gifted”

 

A slightly awkward silence fell on the crowd which was broken by Hermione

 

“I spoke with Molly” the young witch directed her statement at Harry

“What did she have to say?”

“She wanted to be here but correctly assumed you wouldn't be in the mood to speak to her”

“What about the rest of the people who came?”

“They are just here for the spectacle, they couldn't care one way or the other, it was writ large in the Prophet, there were always going to be gate crashers”

“There has been no sign of Ginny or Rita....”

“......Or Mother! Have you seen her Andi?”

“I haven't, but she won't be far, she'll want her dance with the groom”

 

Harry almost choked on his drink, several hands slapped his back until the coughing subsided. Neville and Luna came and joined the group, they had been dancing and their faces were flushed, drinks were poured and passed around.

 

“Are you all right Harry?”

“Yes thank you Luna, I'm so glad you both came”

“We wouldn't have missed it”

 

The years after the war had been good to Neville, he had shot up in height and towered over most people, it looked quite comical when he leant in towards Harry to whisper conspiratorially.

 

“I've been talking to a lot of people and no one really cares that you've married Narcissa, a few of the lads think you've done all right”

“Thanks Nev, that means a lot”

 

He shared a look with his wife who was skilfully hiding a smirk behind a full glass. The Longbottoms excused themselves and moved back into the mass of people occupying the centre of the Great Hall. Over the next twenty minutes a steady stream of well wishers came to congratulate them. They exchanged knowing looks at the few who smiled politely at them and shook their hands, knowing full well that they were being disingenuous.

 

(Scene Break)

 

Rita Skeeter made a valiant attempt to slip away from the wedding unnoticed. Druella, still in the guise of a frail and bent old woman, watched her from a shadowy corner and stole after her. The reporter walked briskly across the large entrance hall and into an adjacent corridor.

Druella entered the corridor just in time to see Rita disappear into one of the doors on the left hand side. As she walked slowly along the polyjuice potion began to wear off, she was beginning to tire of being hunched over, she stood up to her full height and stretched. The curly white hair darkened and spilled down her back, in mere moments the transformation was over.

 

She drew her wand and approached the door, from inside she could hear voices, the unmistakable sound of Rita Skeeter and that of a young woman.

 

“Well? You summoned me here Rita, but I don't see what I paid you for”

“I've changed my mind Miss Weasley, Druella Black is here and she knew something was going on, she saw right through my glamour charm”

“I don't believe you, and you had the cheek to claim Harry needed his head checked, there is no way that woman would come out of hiding so publicly”

“Obviously she's using polyjuice potion you silly girl, either way, I won't cross her”

“I never thought I would see the day that Rita Skeeter would back down from anything”

“Don't think you can use my pride against me, you don't know her”

 

Druella was leaning against the wall outside the door, she smiled to herself, the Weasley girl was too arrogant to be afraid it seemed, but Rita, she knew. She wanted to make an impression when she stepped into the room and transfigured her clothes into something more intimidating. The final result wouldn't have looked out of place on Bellatrix. She gripped her wand tight, stepped away from the wall and swung the door open. The look on the two witches faces was priceless, she sauntered into the middle of the room. Muttered spells sealed and sound proofed the room, she rested her hand on her hip and cast her eyes over the pair.

 

“Good evening ladies, I do hope I'm not interrupting anything”

 

Druella froze them in place the moment the red haired girl had twitched her arm towards her wand.

 

“Tsk tsk, I thought we could all chat like grown ups”

 

She reached inside her robes and removed a small bottle, she swirled the contents around and Ginny's eyes grew large with fear.

 

“Don't worry little girl, I just have a few questions, Rita and I will have a chat a little later”

 

The girl tried to scream as soon as her head was freed from the spell, it took several seconds before she realised there was no sound coming out. Druella gripped her chin firmly and forced a few drops of the liquid past her lips. Ginny stopped fighting almost instantly and her body relaxed. As the young girl raised her head back up to look at her captor, Druella was satisfied that she would no longer be any trouble and her voice was returned.

 

“Tell me what you were planning here tonight”

 

She began to speak, her voice was dull and monotonous.

 

“I paid Rita to come to the wedding incognito, I wanted her to find a way of separating Harry from the crowd”

“Then what?”

“Once she had him the glass orb would summon me here, then we would take him to my house”

“I think I know where this is going but I want to hear it from you”

“I have a batch of amortentia waiting”

 

Tears were running down Ginny's face, Druella remained cold and impassive, her anger bubbled below the surface but she was in full control.

 

“You feared my eldest daughter because of what she did, had your plan succeeded you would have learnt very quickly that Bella wasn't the only Black daughter who should be feared”

 

There was nothing else she could learn from the girl, the only question that remained was how to deal with it. Her first instinct was just to kill her, after all, her mother had killed Bellatrix. She decided against it and in the end the simplest method was best, she erased the girl's memory of everything, including the plan and apparated her to Hogsmeade.

 

In no time she had returned and was stood regarding the disgraced journalist in front of her. The immobilising bonds were loosened, Rita didn't attempt to shout out, she knew better. Druella flashed her a rare smile of approval and removed the silencing charm.

 

“What did you do with the Weasley girl and what are you going to do to me?”

“I just obliviated her and dumped her in Hogsmeade, she'll feel a little hungover and slink off home with her tail between her legs, she will have no recollection of the events. I'm guessing that means you'll be able to keep the money she paid you”

 

Druella smiled again, it held no warmth and conveyed no comfort, Rita swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump that had just formed in her throat.

 

“I didn't get an answer as to what your plans are for me”

“No, I suppose you didn't, you and I have unfinished business, after that discussion, you are free to go”

“Free to go? What's the catch?”

“Nothing you can't handle, you will do your job, I want your best work”

“Doing what exactly?”

“Reporting on my daughter's wedding of course, then there is the small matter of clearing my name, but we'll come to that in good time”

 

Druella picked up Rita's small handbag and opened the clasp, searching the contents yielded an acid green quill, she touched the tip of her wand to it and with a flash it burst into flames, black ash drifted down onto the floor.

 

“Obviously we wouldn't want any unnecessary embellishment, would we?”

“What if I refuse?” Druella laughed, it wasn't a pleasant sound

“I don't think you have a choice, however I have just the thing to motivate you, you owe me”

 

Druella folded her arms and stared at the woman who had forced her into hiding. She had dreamed of this day for years and now it was here, she felt surprisingly calm. Rita was watching the old witch, waiting for her to speak, Druella noted, with a degree of satisfaction, that all of the defiance had gone from her eyes.

 

“Now what?”

“A little trip down memory lane”

 

The wards on the room were checked, if the spell was disturbed it would be like waking a sleep walker, dangerous. Satisfied that no one would be able to break through, Druella hitched up her skirts allowing her to move more freely and held out her wand. Rita looked at the woman, it was like a dance, her lips moved constantly as incantations were muttered. She gave up trying to identify words and waited.

When the witch finally ceased her spell casting, a bright pin prick of light hovered in the centre of the room, it began to expand, before the light became too bright to look at, she saw intricate patterns spinning and changing within the orb of light. It expanded to the size of a snitch and the intensity increased, it was almost painful to look at. Soon it was bigger than a quaffle, the two women shied away from the light as it engulfed the entire room.

 

The light gradually faded away, the two witches were stood side by side in a large courtyard, Druella recovered first and walked slowly around the stone fountain. Rita blinked rapidly, trying to dispel the after glare from her retinas, she looked around and instantly recognised the vast building in front of her. Finding her voice she called out to the woman who had brought her here.

 

“This is Black Manor!”

“Yes it is”

“What have you done?”

“We are in my memories, it's just like a Pensieve”

 

With no further explanation forthcoming Rita paced around waiting to see what the dark witch had brought her here to witness. This was one of Druella's favourite memories, at the time she had no idea that it would be the last time she would see her husband alive. The Dark Lord had fallen a few years before, Bellatrix had been caught and sentenced to life in Azkaban. As far as she knew Andromeda was safe and Narcissa had crafted an acceptable front for herself, and in the time after Voldemort fell, her reputation had survived all of the Ministry's scrutiny.

 

Cygnus had become increasingly paranoid, he still held a strong position within the Ministry, but with Bella's high profile arrest the rumours had begun. A young reporter for the Prophet was carving a name for herself as she uncovered things that had implicated several Death Eater's who had sworn to have been under the Imperius curse.

A loud crack echoed around the manor grounds, a tall thin man had appeared, Rita let out a cry of surprise. He wore grey, but it wasn't at all drab, his hair was dark and well groomed, a jet black goatee framed his mouth. He moved elegantly, at speed and with a look of fierce determination etched onto his handsome features.

The women followed him over the threshold and into the cavernous main hall. His bark like voice called for Druella, the silence after that powerful shout was broken by the sharp clicking of heels. A much younger looking Druella Black stood at the top of the staircase. She had viewed this scene so many times she knew it by heart.

 

Having kept largely out of the public eye, there was much speculation about the mother of the most infamous Dark Witch of the age, it wasn't a huge shock when the stories began to emerge. At first it had amused her, tales of her ability to take on the form of a monstrous beast, a penchant for drinking blood and other such ridiculousness. It soon escalated, driven by fear and ignorance, and before long the wizarding community were convinced she was slaughtering muggles.

There were no shortage of missing persons throughout Britain, no bodies were ever found, Druella abhorred ignorance of any kind and had the resources to keep an eye on the muggle world. These nameless people were all unsolved cases, dusty reports filed away on dusty shelves in the offices of whatever muggles had for Aurors.

The Prophet had run a sensational story linking these cold cases to wizards or witches unknown, with the lack of any evidence, magic was the only explanation. After Bellatrix's incarceration speculation about the remaining members of the noble and most ancient house of Black had reached fever pitch, Sirius' escape from the wizard prison had poured more fuel onto an already blazing inferno.

 

Cygnus was explaining the situation to his wife, illustrating how their lives were in danger, she had argued, they had both shouted, neither one willing to back down. She was to flee and he was to stay, this was unacceptable to her. In the end he made a passionate plea, she felt the tears as she watched her younger self cry, he loved her and that was enough for her to agree. She ran down the stairs into his arms, he held her and whispered words of love and reassurance. She remembered vividly how it felt to be held by him and recalled the scent of his aftershave, and then the hug was broken, he placed a nondescript item into her unresisting hand. With a final kiss he drew his wand and tapped the item, Druella Black was gone.

 

The memory shifted, the hallway de-constructed itself leaving behind bare earth, trees sprang from the ground and in moments the unlikely duo were stood in the clearing of a vast and ancient forest.

 

“Where are we?”

“Germany, the forests of Bavaria to be exact”

 

Without further explanation the formidable woman strode off into the trees. Her younger version hadn't managed to forge too far ahead. They walked at a steady pace, several times Rita thought about speaking but each time decided against it. Eventually the trees seemed to be thinning out, and the keen eyed journalist was certain she could see a cottage.

 

“This cottage has been in my family for centuries, Cygnus and I used to come here when we wanted to get away from it all”

“I still don't understand what you want to show me”

“You will” Druella's eyes flashed dangerously

 

The building could barely pass for a cottage, it was primarily wood and stone, it wouldn't look out of place on a Christmas card, the gable end was all stone and would no doubt hold the fireplace, the top was tapered to follow the line of the roof and finished at the chimney top. The other three walls were wood and they were mounted on a rocky foundation, the roof itself was thatched.

 

“Are we going inside?” the door to the cabin had been opened, the door closing sounded obscenely loud in the quiet of the clearing

“No! This will give you the best view of events”

 

What felt like hours passed, time sped up and slowed down in huge lumps, shadows grew and shrank as the sun wheeled through the sky. Five times the sun crossed the sky chased by the night. As the dim twilight surrendered to the dark all was quiet in the wood, Rita felt a shiver run down her spine, not a bird or beast made a sound.

The full moon was shining directly into the clearing, there was no way to ascertain the time but Rita surmised that midnight had been and gone. She stifled a scream as figures wearing black robes stepped out of the tree line. There were too many to count, they stood almost shoulder to shoulder and made a ring around the entire cabin.

Everything from that point happened almost too quickly to comprehend, a tongue of flame leapt from each wand and struck the cabin, as soon as the spell was cast the robed figures apparated away. The fire had taken hold and there wasn't a part of the building that wasn't aflame, even the stones burned.

 

Druella stood unflinching at the edge of the blaze, it took a force of will for Rita to approach, she knew it couldn't do her harm but she struggled to relay that fact to her brain. It was then that she heard the screaming, it was getting louder, the door burst from its hinges and a figure jumped clear of the blaze. The figure left a trail of fire behind them and fell to the ground thrashing to extinguish the fire. The scene ended, rapidly blinking eyes struggled to focus on the empty classroom, the fire still danced on the edge of her vision.

 

Druella stood tall and fierce, she waited patiently for the bound witch to meet her eyes. She slashed her wand through the air and an unprepared Rita stumbled forward and crumpled to the hard floor.

 

“Tell me how they found me?”

“I didn't, I had no idea, it was just a story”

“Tell me everything” Druella's voice was low and filled with barely restrained fury

“I was dating a young wizard from the ministry, he worked in transport, he was there the night your husband requested the port-key. He told me about it, and I wrote a story about you fleeing the country to escape the growing scandal”

 

The dark witch seemed to be thinking, and when she spoke it was only to hear her thoughts aloud.

 

“The Aurors expected the mansion to be deserted, they didn't know that my beloved had stayed, he would have been caught by surprise and outnumbered”

 

She had speculated many times about the circumstances surrounding her husband's death, now she had all of the facts in her possession.

 

“You told them the port-key's destination” she was breathing heavily, her wand was drawn and she pressed the tip hard into Rita's cheek, a bead of blood swelled and ran lazily down to her jaw bone.

 

“No, I didn't, I swear”

“Then explain before I use up the last of my restraint”

“It was Cornelius Fudge, he worked at the Prophet before he became minister, he encouraged vigilante justice against those who escaped prosecution. The Prophet was a perfect place to get information and he used it, his methods catapulted him into office”

 

Druella removed the wand from Rita's face and took a step back.

 

“The climate was perfect for people like Fudge, they fed on the fear and took cowardly action to further their ambition, all the while avoiding the danger that went along with it”

“I always knew he was a spineless bastard, I want you to see the price I paid for his rise to power”

 

With a few wand flicks her outfit had changed, her arms were bare, the neckline plunged front and back as the skirt raised to just below her knees. As she brought her wand up a second time her wand arms faltered. She sucked in a deep breath and exhaled, the wand moved rapidly with no discernible pattern. The change was subtle at first, her left eye became a milky white orb, perfect skin became cracked and charred, half of her face was burned almost beyond recognition, many shades of red and black merged into each other.

The burnt skin around her mouth pulled it into a twisted grimace, although mostly bald, some hair had remained melted against her skull. The wand never ceased in it's movement and before long Druella Black looked as good as new.

 

“How did you survive?”

“Sheer force of will, luck, I don't know, it was definitely some kind of cursed fire, I'm grateful that it wasn't anything more potent, I kept myself alive but I couldn't heal, I am very gifted when it comes to glamour charms”

 

The glamour charm had done its work so she transfigured her clothes into an extravagant ball gown, her long hair plaited itself and she draped it over her right shoulder.

 

“We are done, you will complete the task I have set you, now I would like to attend the remainder of my daughter's wedding and claim my dance with the groom, partly because of tradition but mostly just to scare him witless”

 

The room's defences were removed and the women left. They didn't talk on the short walk back to the great hall. She strode purposefully towards the hall doors and threw them open, the chatter in the room died instantly. All eyes turned to her, she saw, with a small amount of satisfaction, both her daughters look skyward and shake their heads.

The crowd swept aside as she walked the length of the room, she clicked her fingers and held out her hand. Minerva Mcgonagall hadn't prepared for the arrival of the mother of the bride, she was eager to diffuse the situation, to a large number of people in the room this woman was akin to the bogeyman. The austere headmistress placed a flute of champagne in the waiting hand and turned to address the room.

 

“May I present the mother of the bride, Druella Black, and as a long standing tradition, this party will come to a close after the last dance” she motioned for the band to take their positions.

 

At the back of the room Harry was being jostled forward by his wife, sister in law and one of his best friends. He was pushed through the crowd and staggered out onto the open floor. He wasn't prepared for this, she beckoned him over and the band started to play.


	20. Chapter Twenty

Harry smiled nervously at Druella, Narcissa was deep in conversation with Andromeda and Hermione. She caught his eye and smiled at him, a look that somehow managed to convey her sympathies for his predicament and pride for the way he was handling it. He grinned broadly back at his bride and in that momentary lapse of concentration, he clumsily mis-stepped, cheeks burning with embarrassment, he offered his apologies.

Druella just inclined her head and subtly moved herself closer to Harry, she lead the dance with the kind of ease associated with years of living the pure-blood lifestyle. She attributed his slightly wooden gait to nerves, in an attempt to make movement more natural she changed position and placed his hand lower down her back, he pulled away, at first she thought her actions had been misinterpreted but upon following his gaze she saw that he was looking at Rita.

 

“What the hell is she doing here?”

 

He freed his hand and Druella sensed that he was planning to have an altercation, she held him firmly and angry green eyes found her dark brown ones, the intense ferocity faded and became softer, until he just looked puzzled.

 

“Don't you worry about her, she won't be doing anything that would risk my....displeasure”

“How? Why?”

“She and I have history, let's just say she owes me”

“You asked her to be here?”

“No Harry, she was trying to crash the party and I dealt with it”

“I guess we won't find out how successful you were until the Prophet comes out”

 

For a brief moment she considered telling him all about the plot to kidnap him and quickly decided that some things were best kept secret, and one day, it may even serve a purpose. She didn't consider this to be the appropriate time or place, besides, there was no way she could prevent him from telling her daughter, and Narcissa would want revenge. She easily hid her relief when he changed the subject.

 

“Narcissa and Andromeda never explained the significance of our dance”

“It's very simple, it signifies acceptance, had your father been alive, he'd be dancing with my daughter. Can you imagine what would happen if either of the wedded couple's parents refused the final dance? It's primarily a pure-blood tradition and I know there hasn't been any scandals in my lifetime”

“I see, as far as pure-blood traditions go, it's not a bad one”

 

The music stopped and the crowd clapped and cheered, the assembled musicians stepped forward and took a bow. The applause slowly dwindled to a polite ripple and the bustle of the crowd quickly became the dominant noise. Harry offered Druella his arm as they slowly walked over to where Narcissa waited.

He was engrossed in the behaviour of the guests, as they passed by chattering groups of people, conversations fell silent as they came within ear shot only to spark up again once they had gone by, it was understandable, curiosity was a rope by which many would hang, the witch on his arm had become notorious in her absence from the public eye, he was surprised no one had tried to throw a curse or attempt a citizen's arrest, a gentle tugging on his arm broke him from his thoughts.

 

“Before we return to our group, I have a little something for you, think of it as a wedding gift”

 

Harry averted his eyes as his mother-in-law foraged inside the bustier of her dress, his embarrassment didn't go unnoticed, he heard her chuckle. A very old key was dangled in front of his eyes, it swung like a hypnotist's prop on a length of gilded chain, he held out his hand and the key and chain fell onto his outstretched palm.

The metal was smooth and warm, the sensation as he held it reminded him of the first time he had held a wand.

 

“What is it?”

“It's a key” the playful sparkle in her eye was not lost on him

“I can see that, but what is it a key to?”

“All will be revealed, but not now, you will know everything once you return from your honeymoon”

 

He slipped the key into the pocket of his suit jacket and tried to ignore the niggling curiosity, a task made easier by Narcissa. She still looked radiant even though the hour was late and they had been awake since the break of day, her cheeks were slightly flushed and her hair wasn't as sleek and perfectly styled as it had been. Harry was practically dragged from Druella's side, her surprisingly cool hands slid across his shoulders and clasped around his neck, she drew him closer softly kissing him full on the lips, then her cheek was resting against his own. He shivered involuntarily as her warm breath caressed his ear.

 

“I think I'm ready for you to take me home”

“Are you alright?”

“Never better, but now I think I want to leave the company of all these people and spend some quality time with you”

“When you say it like that, how could I refuse?”

 

He kissed her tenderly on the cheek and reached for her hand, it still took them the best part of an hour to leave, so many people wanted a few moments with the couple, finally they had made it to the castle's entrance hall. The party was still going, McGonagall assured them that the remaining guests would be well cared for.

Hermione, Andromeda, Draco, Astoria and Druella had followed them out to say their goodbyes, Ron had disappeared with a group of their friends and couldn't be found, but Harry didn't mind, after the castle was cleaned up and restored to its former glory they saw less and less of their old school friends and then less and less of each other, the golden trio had gone off out into the world to find a life of their own, once things returned to normal Harry was determined to make more of an effort, having his two best friends around in the run up to his wedding had made him realise how much he missed them.

 

Draco hugged and kissed his mother, Astoria did the same and much to Harry's surprise, she had a hug and a peck on the cheek for him, Draco didn't say anything, he just shook his hand firmly and nodded, after a few words with his Aunt and Grandmother they returned to the party. Druella kept her farewell brief, she made a few salacious comments and as the disbelief faded from their faces she smiled a wry smile and apparated away.

 

“You can always trust mother to say something completely inappropriate”

“I think I liked it better when she kept herself hidden away, we may live to regret bringing her back to the fore”

“Andi, where's Teddy? I was hoping to see him before we left”

“I'm sorry Harry, I asked Molly to take him, he looked fit to drop, I know he's in good hands, I wasn't ready to go home”

“Well give him a big hug from me, I promise we'll visit once we get back, are you going back to the party Hermione?”

“No, Andromeda and I are going to take a walk and then turn in”

“OK, enjoy your walk it's a nice night, now I think it's time for us to go”

 

Harry was almost knocked flat as Hermione barrelled into him, he blew as much of her wild bushy hair out of the way as he could, lest he choke. He hugged her back and thanked her for everything, she let him go and her eyes were distinctly watery.

Narcissa's brow furrowed slightly as she noticed a wistful look on her sister's face, she raised an eyebrow questioningly, Andromeda just folded her arms and met her sister's gaze, most people would have looked away, but she met the icy blue stare head on. The exchange went unnoticed by the other two as they enjoyed each others friendly banter, the sisters stood locked in stalemate. A smile formed on the lips of the blonde witch, she shook her head and turned her attention back to Harry and Hermione.

Narcissa was subjected to a slightly less exuberant hug than her husband, they exchanged a few whispered words and then Andromeda hugged them each in turn. Harry slipped his arm around his wife's waist, pulled her close and apparated away. The unlikely pair stood and stared at the point the couple had occupied only seconds ago, Hermione reached for the older witch's hand, linked their fingers and squeezed. The entrance hall doors opened silently and they walked out into the castle grounds.

 

Narcissa couldn't understand why they were standing in the courtyard outside Grimmauld Place, before she could raise a question she was literally swept off her feet, her legs dangled over his left arm and his right arm supported her lower back. In the shock of her rapid change of position she had flung her arms out to save herself, and they were wrapped tightly around his neck, her chest rose and fell rapidly.

He chuckled and apologised for scaring her and explained that this was a muggle tradition and that she was to be carried over the threshold, with a wink he added that he planned on carrying her straight to their bedroom. He strode purposefully up the stone steps and wandlessly opened the door, he moved quietly down the hall in case Mrs Black was asleep in her frame, she wasn't. She welcomed him to the family proper and after a brief chat, Harry politely excused himself to continue his climb to the bedroom.

Halfway up the second flight of stairs he began to show signs of flagging but the end was in sight and that thought lent him a burst of energy. At the door he bent his knees slightly so that Narcissa could turn the handle.

 

He carefully manoeuvred them into the room, in hindsight he wished that he had taken the time to decorate it, had he really thought about it, Kreacher could have been instructed to do something to make the room a little bit special. He walked to the side of the bed and dropped Narcissa onto the mattress as gently as he could, he laughed at the brief look of horror on her face at the sensation of falling, she uttered a few choice words and hurled a pillow at him. He removed his wand, dimmed the lights, and summoned a few floating candles for effect.

He turned back to the bed and stopped in his tracks, his wife, a vision in white, was sat up and unpinning her hair, it fell messily around her pale shoulders, her skin looked golden in the room's soft light. Harry removed his suit jacket and hung it over the back of the dressing table chair, he remembered his gift from Druella and removed it from the pocket, and laid it on the dresser. He pulled off his tie and undid the top button before pulling it free of the waistband of his trousers, feeling infinitely more comfortable he walked to the bedside and sat behind her.

 

Harry brushed her hair over her left shoulder and kissed the right, placing gentle kisses en route to her neck. More experienced fingers worked on the stiff clasps of her dress, the final one was particularly tricky, it sprang open exposing her back, heavily marked by the tightness of the material, he traced the marks with his fingertips and massaged her warm skin, she moaned throatily in appreciation. Narcissa stretched out her legs and rolled onto her front, without giving anything away she slid the upper part of the dress from beneath her and threw it onto the bedroom floor. He savoured the sight of her, arms straight above her head, the delicious curve of her breasts squashed against the duvet.

He hooked his fingers into the waist band of her skirt and tugged it down over her hips, she wore a simple suspender belt and lace topped, white stockings, he playfully slapped a cheek and twanged the elastic of her underwear. He removed his dress shoes and straddled her thighs, he pressed his thumbs into the small of her back and worked his way out, occasionally halting the massage to kiss her soft skin, she delighted at the sensation.

After what felt like hardly any time at all, but in reality had been a long pleasurable and relaxing half hour, she reluctantly asked him to stop, initially he seemed disappointed, until she explained that she could easily fall asleep and would rather not, he caught up with her train of thought at an impressive rate. He shifted his weight enough for her to turn over, her skin prickled as his eyes drank in the sight of her, she wetted her lips and ran her hands down her own body, he seemed frozen as he watched them trace a slow path across her skin, he sucked in a ragged breath as her nails scraped across his abdomen, her fingers felt cool on his hot flesh, he removed the shirt as she pulled his belt open, undid the button of his trousers and pulled the zip down, she stroked the bulge straining against his cotton briefs.

 

Their lips crashed together as lust took them over, she nipped at his bottom lip and dragged her nails down his back, he sucked on her tongue as it passed his lips and she moaned at the sensation, and revelled in the intensity of his actions, fingers probed through her hair and he held her head, the kissing fevered and desperate. Only two garments separated them and despite the urgency they were both feeling, there was no effort made to remove the barriers. He ground his hips against her and she reciprocated, as furious and frantic as it seemed, there was a degree of control, the promise of what was to come heightening their senses.

The kiss was broken, she sucked in lungfuls of cool air only to expel it all as his mouth found her pulse point, he kissed and sucked her slender neck. She fumbled for his hand with her own, her fingers tingled and her coordination was unreliable, eventually she found what she sought, stroked his knuckles and guided his hand to her chest, she hissed in pleasure as he kneaded each breast, a thumb and forefinger pinched and sent a jolt through her body.

A hot mouth latched onto a sensitive peak, before moving to the other, he kissed down her sternum, and her stomach muscles fluttered at the soft kisses, the bump of her belly was lovingly kissed and caressed. There was a growing urgency to his actions as he removed her panties before dispensing with his briefs. She couldn't resist sliding her fingers over the soft, sensitive folds between her thighs.

 

Hungry green eyes watched her wanton behaviour, clearly she had been waiting for this all day, from the moment Harry saw her enter the great hall his desire had burned, the anticipation adding fuel to the fire. She beckoned to him with a glistening digit, he slipped inside with ease, she wrapped her legs tightly around him and dug her nails into his back.

Their love making was raw and energetic, he uttered words of love in her ear as waves of pleasure crashed over her, so intense that she wept, Harry held her tenderly as he climaxed and melted into her embrace. He brushed hair from her sweaty brow and wiped a stray tear from the corner of her eye, she buried her head in the crook of his neck.

Neither was willing to let the other go, the covers were pulled over their cooling bodies by Harry, the lights remained burning, they found sleep easily and comfortably.

 

They awoke the next day happy and a little tender from the previous nights exploits, unwilling to give up the comforts of their bed at that moment they indulged in each other for a time. Once satisfied again, Kreacher was summoned to provide breakfast, they bathed together afterwards and dressed. It amused Harry greatly as Narcissa had to magically alter her clothing to accommodate the baby bump, as she attempted to look stern and sulk at the same time he slipped his arms around her stomach and cooed platitudes in her ear, it didn't take much for her to relent but she still slapped him lightly on account of his bare faced cheekiness.

 

They weren't due at the port-key departure lounge until the afternoon of the following day, they hadn't made any plans to do anything the day before. Harry had asked Draco to remove Grimmauld Place from the floo network, he had no desire for visitors, not that he was expecting anyone.

Astoria would be visiting with increased frequency as Narcissa's due date approached, Druella had also threatened to visit, in Harry's mind these were things to worry about at some point in the future, he didn't think he would ever feel comfortable around his mother-in-law.

His wife had requested a week long trip away followed by a week back home before allowing normality to return, there was no way that he would deny her anything. Coincidently, Druella had cryptically hinted that her wedding gift would require at least a few days to appreciate.

 

They made their way to the kitchen, she watched him make tea, this was without doubt her favourite room in the house. She was staring out into space with a huge grin on her face when the mug clunked dully on the table top.

 

“What are you so happy about Mrs. Potter?”

“I like the sound of that and as if you even need to ask”

“Very well, have your secrets” he raised his eyebrows as the mug of tea covered the bottom half of his face.

“I was just remembering how this began, who thought the kitchen would be our 'special' room”

 

Harry coughed and spluttered at the lewd insinuation, his choking subsided and he scowled at her for such a cheap shot, she sipped her drink and never took her sparkling blue eyes off him.

There was a modest selection of wedding gifts waiting for them in the living room and they spent the remainder of the morning opening presents and reading cards. Harry arranged the cards on the mantelpiece, the gifts were mostly for the baby, it was surprising that so many people knew that Narcissa was expecting. Hermione had outdone herself, there were books, that was expected, ones on baby names and a collection of wizard and muggle faerie tales, beautifully bound, but the gift from Ron had the brunette's name all over it, his best friend had bought them a muggle toaster, when Harry stopped laughing he explained to a very confused looking Narcissa, that at most muggle weddings it was highly likely you'd receive a toaster as a gift.

 

Some mail had been brought in with the gifts and left at the bottom of the pile, Harry discarded the junk and was left holding a large brown envelope, the handwritten address was very neat, he didn't recognise the handwriting, he looked at his wife and she just shrugged. The seal was broken and the contents were tipped out, a newspaper flopped onto the table, it was the morning edition of the Prophet, he groaned at the sight, and then at the Quidditch news, the Chudley Cannons had been annihilated, there was no other way of saying it.

He picked it up, flipped it over, and laid it flat so that they could both see it. There was a large colour photograph of them, Harry couldn't recall seeing a photographer doing the rounds, it was a very flattering picture. The headline, if you could call it that, referred to the union as a historic event, there was a brief summary of the families and an account from an archive about the only other Potter – Black marriage.

The sub heading was much more in the style of Rita Skeeter and announced that the chosen one had chosen again. Despite that it was a good article, not even a line containing the phrase 'the boy who married again' could sour it, Druella had been true to her word but couldn't crush Rita's acidic journalistic spirit entirely. The pictures were fantastic, there was no denying, it reminded him of the celebrity gossip magazines he used to see lining the shelves whenever he was ordered to the shops by his Aunt. He was surprised that most of the paper had been filled by the wedding, the final touch was several pages of messages compiled from people who attended the event and people from the Wizarding community. He was certain that only the positive ones had been published, but that was fine, maybe the great Harry Potter could do no wrong.

 

The next day was bright and slightly cooler, the sky was periwinkle blue with fluffy white clouds drifting lazily on their way. Kreacher prepared a hearty breakfast and would provide them with anything they needed while away, there was no need for packing everything into cumbersome suitcases.

They stepped out into the courtyard of Grimmauld Place, Narcissa took Harry's arm and they set off towards the city centre. The route took them towards the river, at the Barbican centre they turned right and headed toward Covent Garden, from here they could see the London Eye on the opposite bank, straight ahead lay the Houses of Parliament. A tatty looking red phonebox was situated on the corner of Derby Gate and Parliament Street, they squeezed inside and Harry dialled them in.

The atrium seemed busier than normal, a large contingent of witches and wizards were gathered around the place the Daily Prophet news stand was situated. They kept their heads down as they passed, from the general buzz of conversation they gleaned that it was indeed the wedding story causing the furore.

One particularly loud and obnoxious witch proclaimed that it was all a lot of fuss about nothing, Harry pressed the brass button to call the elevator and they stood silently hoping it would hurry up and arrive before anyone noticed them. A loud ding heralded the lift's arrival, the doors rattled open and they shuffled quickly inside, Narcissa pressed the button several times before the grille finally closed with a clang. A few of the assembled crowd looked towards the noise, the elevator dropped out of sight before recognition stirred.

 

The port-key department was as busy as any muggle airport, they approached a bored looking clerk, his head rested on his hand as he idly flicked through the pages of a newspaper. After being ignored for the best part of two minutes, Narcissa drew herself up to her full height and cleared her throat, Harry had to use all of his will power to keep his face completely neutral.

When the clerk realised people were waiting he sighed loudly, as if it was an inconvenience to him, upon seeing them the reaction was electric, he stood up so fast the chair was thrown backwards and smacked loudly onto the floor, a few people looked over at the source of the noise. With crimson cheeks he stammered a grovelling apology, the haughty blonde witch gave him no quarter, her voice remained ice cold for the entire exchange, his hands shook as he found their booking and once the papers were signed an old tin can was placed on the counter, they reached out and touched it, a familiar feeling of being tugged from the navel and they were gone, the man wiped his brow, closed his eyes and slumped forward onto his desk.

 

Narcissa wasn't sure if it was the distance travelled or that it had been a long time since she last took a port-key, but she couldn't recall a time when it affected her so badly, she felt a little bit shaky and light headed. The sensation passed swiftly, she patted her stomach and blamed the feeling on her condition, she assured Harry that she was fine.

His brow remained creased with concern, her heart fluttered a little bit, she knew he only wanted to make sure that she and the baby were safe and healthy. She admitted that she did feel hungry and that would probably help, it had been nearing lunch time when they left England. Knowing that her appetite was unaffected and feeling quite hungry himself, they had reached a happy compromise, hand in hand they walked with a new sense of purpose and after a few minutes following the exit signs, they emerged at street level.

It was mid morning in New York city and even though rush hour had been and gone the streets and roads were heaving with people and traffic. Every single screen in Times Square was lit, the position of the sun made most of them unreadable, they grabbed a pretzel from a vendor in the street to take the edge off their hunger as they looked for a restaurant that called out to their stomachs. They decided to try an authentic New York Deli, they both had beef pastrami, salad and American mustard on rye bread. Most of the afternoon was spent wandering around and taking in the sights and the sounds, they walked through central park and checked into their hotel. It was supposed to be a quick stop, in order to receive their luggage from home, with Kreacher dismissed, Narcissa had dragged him onto the ornate four poster bed and kept her man occupied for several hours.

They washed and dressed before heading down to the hotel foyer, they hailed a yellow cab to take them to the Empire State building, they took their dinner in the restaurant at the top and took their after dinner drinks out onto the observation platform. As the sun dipped below the line of buildings, the city began to light up, hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights shining out from every skyscraper.

They spent the next day doing more tourist activities, they went ice skating at Rockafella Plaza, visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art,and then shopping down 5th Avenue. They made a point never to eat the same thing twice and ate in as many different restaurants as they could, Harry got his wish when they visited McDonald's on Wall Street, they drank wine while the resident pianist entertained the diners from his seat behind a brilliant white grand piano. The weather was scorching hot, a helicopter tour was a nice change from the usual tourist activities and a trip out on the rivers was a good way to stay cool.

They headed to Battery park and took the ferry to the Statue of Liberty, after climbing to the torch and back down again they ferried across to the museum. To round off the evening they took in a Broadway show, a limousine collected them from the hotel and dropped them off and collected them at the end, exhausted they fell into bed and slept. The morning of their final day was spent in bed, Harry woke his witch up kissing down her back, she groaned a sleepy approval and stretched out to allow him better access.

Several hours later they were back in England and heading home, they ate a simple meal and turned in early. The bedroom was exactly as he'd left it, apart from the thick embossed envelope on the dresser next to Druella's key. Narcissa walked to Harry's side and took one look at it before declaring that it was from her mother, she didn't have to try too hard to convince him that it would wait until the morning. After they had made love they lay awake with their bodies pressed close together, she reached for his hand and placed it on her stomach, their baby had started to kick.


	21. Chapter Twenty One

Narcissa woke up alone, it was still early judging by the dim grey light spilling through the gaps in the curtains. She felt Harry's side of the bed and was disappointed to find it cold, he hadn't just gone to the bathroom. Her eyes were still unwilling to open, even though the room was still gloomy, she rubbed her eyes and blinked rapidly.

She stretched and stifled a yawn, groaning as she heaved herself into a sitting position, she covered her bare breasts with her left arm, this allowed her to inspect her swollen stomach, she stroked her bump lovingly, she could feel movement and the flutter of little kicks. She gently pressed her fingers against the little feet and chuckled to herself as the baby responded, it was fun until the unborn child shifted onto her bladder.

Once she had relieved herself she selected a simple silk nightdress, put on her robe and tied it loosely around her middle. The bedroom door opened quietly and the elegant blonde witch stepped through and padded down the hallway in search of her husband. On her way to the living room she paid a visit to the tapestry room. Now they were wed she was interested to see if any further changes had taken place, the addition of a thread leading to a blank space for their unborn child was expected, their own places hadn't changed much, there were slightly more intricacies to the designs around their portraits and the lines connecting them, but that was it, her name was now Narcissa Potter Black, it gave her a warm feeling, she hugged herself and stood to exit the room.

There was no sign of Harry in the living room, or any indication that he'd been in there, the Prophet was still laying on the table, she looked at the front cover and made a mental note to request a proper print of the picture, it would look nice on display. The next stop was the kitchen, the lamps were lit and it was comfortably warm, a steaming mug was on the table next to a familiar shock of messy black hair, his head was resting on his arms and his eyes were closed. She fixed herself a drink and sat down opposite him, she sipped at the hot beverage and felt more awake and alert, unable to help herself, she reached out and stroked the top of his head, the running of her fingers through his soft hair caused him to stir.

Sleepy green eyes looked at her and a crooked smile grew large on his face, he apologised for sloping off but he didn't want to disturb her, he had woken up and felt awake and rested. He fancied a drink and a bite to eat and ended up in the kitchen. She teased him for falling asleep at the table when he had a perfectly good bed complete with a rather ravishing wife occupying it.

 

Harry lit the stove and started to prepare breakfast, he chopped mushrooms, halved tomatoes, pricked sausages, trimmed bacon, opened a tin of beans and chopped an onion. The kitchen was filled with delicious smells and the sound of sizzling, he cracked two eggs into the pan and stirred the beans. Plates and cutlery were summoned and he served up their food, they ate in comfortable silence, it still puzzled her why he didn't ask Kreacher to cook, or speed things up with magic, it wasn't that she didn't like him doing it the muggle way, she just found it odd.

He gave her the same response whenever she brought it up, he saw magic as a privilege rather than a right, he had spent many years living as a muggle, he didn't want to use magic for the sake of it, he thought it promoted lazy behaviour. Once they had finished eating he pulled out his wand and cleared everything away, all tidy and clean, she raised her eyebrows at him and he just rolled his eyes, he conceded that using magic freed up his time for more pleasurable pursuits, he finished his explanation by kissing her and after that all thoughts of poking fun at him evaporated.

 

Harry was already dressed but that didn't stop him following Narcissa up to their room, he impeded her attempts to dress in the nicest possible way, he wasn't a total hindrance, he helped zip her dress up at the back and fasten the clasp on her favourite necklace, not that it stopped him from kissing her exposed neck which sent pleasant shivers down her spine.

She stood at the dresser with Harry behind her, his arms wrapped around her baby bump, they were both looking at the key and envelope.

 

“Shall we see what mother has in store for us? I'm sure it'll be fine, she wouldn't do anything dangerous”

“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?”

“A little bit of both”

 

She turned her head to look at him and in response he leaned in and caught her lips. Harry withdrew his arms and picked up the envelope, he broke the seal and peered inside, it contained a single sheet of heavy parchment. The Black family crest dominated the top, gold leaf detailing ran along each edge, the writing was exquisite calligraphy in a deep purple ink, it read :-

 

_My dearest Harry and Narcissa,_

_I hope this finds you well, I gave Harry a key during the wedding party, all you need to do is hold onto it. Enjoy!_

 

_Yours with love_

_DB_

 

That was all that was written on it, they both eyed the key with an air of suspicion, Narcissa grabbed Harry's wrist as he reached out for the key.

 

“What's the worst that could happen?”

“When it comes to Mother, that is anyone's guess”

 

She released him and he picked up the key, it still felt warm to the touch, nothing happened, feeling slightly foolish he gripped one end and held the other out to Narcissa, hesitantly she moved her hand towards it and closed her fingers around the metal, she was surprised at the warmth.

 

“Now what?”

“Your mother just said we need to hold it”

 

As they stood there holding the object, the warmth of the metal seemed to be increasing, without warning a sensation like an electric shock caused their hands to grip tight to the key, there was a bright light and a strange sound. It happened so fast there was no time to cry out or react in any way, once the after effects of the bright light had worn off and they were able to see properly, they surveyed their new surroundings.

They were stood in a lush meadow, a place so obviously magical that it made the hairs stand up on the back of Harry's neck, Narcissa let go of the key and Harry slipped it into his pocket, with mouths hanging agape he fumbled for his wife's hand, she in turn, reached for his and gave it a squeeze. The carpet of springy grass was the most vivid green, all manner of flowers were growing, inhaling deeply through his nose brought many subtle scents, more than they could identify yet it wasn't overpowering.

At first glance the meadow had looked completely wild, now the initial shock had worn away, they looked out at the area with a more critical eye, they saw there was a natural path leading north. He looked behind, the tree line was some distance away, but it was clear that it was almost like a solid wall, there was no other obvious way out.

 

Before wandering aimlessly around unfamiliar territory, Narcissa attempted to apparate, but nothing happened. Harry had an idea and called for Kreacher, and still nothing happened, they were completely alone it seemed. Wisps of cloud drifted lazily across the perfect blue sky as they set off, they walked in silence to take in all the sights and sounds. The trees that lined the meadow broke in one spot and gave way to a leaf strewn path, dappled sunlight filtered through their ancient boughs. Eventually the path led them to a stream and it bubbled and gurgled alongside the path, although the trees were densely packed they glimpsed some woodland creatures running between the gnarled trunks.

The cool, dimly lit path ran straight and in the distance it looked like it opened up, as they neared what they perceived to be the end of the path, the sound of the running water had taken on a roaring quality, the path did come to an end, a small stone wall had been built at the cliff edge, to the right roughly hewn stone steps went down and down, the river had widened and spilled in a torrent over the edge. As they walked down the steps they glimpsed a large pool into which the waterfall fell, at the bottom they stood at a large clearing, the pool was beautiful, emerald winged dragonflies buzzed along the surface, small bubbles popping on the surface hinted at an active fish population, a small brook flowed out from the pool following another path.

 

Harry walked to the edge of the pool and dipped his fingers into the water, it was cool but not cold and in this weather, would be perfect for taking a dip, even though summer was coming to an end, there were still plenty of warm days left before Autumn arrived, and once Winter came they would be welcoming their child into the world, he smiled at the thought.

Narcissa nodded her approval when he suggested that they move on, the path was mostly dry earth, the remnants of a dry stone wall poked through the undergrowth in places, like the bones of some creature, moss grew easily on the old stone, a small bird alighted on the wall and pecked at the moss, foraging for small insects. This part of the woods was home to a lot of birds if the cacophony of bird song was any indication.

They set off walking again and maintained their leisurely pace, Harry let his eyes wander, Narcissa pulled at him to stop and pointed through the trees, he squinted in the direction of her finger, there seemed to be a dwelling in the distance. It was hard to tell how far it was and they assumed the path would wind it's way to the building at some point. The walls lining the dirt track became less ruinous, there was a break in the stones at the approaching bend, there had been iron gates there at some point in the past, the large rectangular space wasn't overgrown, which was curious considering the wildness of everything else they had seen so far.

Two large marble monuments stood side by side, weather and moss hadn't changed them much, Harry walked over to them and Narcissa followed, these monuments were a pair of graves, that much was obvious, the surprise came once they were close enough to read the names of the occupants. The first stone tablet read Charlus Potter, followed by the proclamation that he was a loving father and husband, by his side lay Dorea Potter, loving mother and wife.

 

“What is this place and what game is my Mother playing?” Harry just shrugged “When we find our way back home, we are going straight to see her”

 

The way the words were spoken left no room for argument and he was more than a little curious about this place. For now he wanted to follow the path to see where it led and then find a way to get them back home, Narcissa conjured two bouquets of flowers and placed them on the graves, they were as much her ancestors as they were Harry's.

The path wound its way on and came back parallel to the river, the canopy was thinning and the heat of the day began to mercilessly beat down on them. Breaks in the trees became larger and more frequent, there was definitely a clearing up ahead, the walls rose higher on each side and were soon well above head height, they rounded the final bend. There was a large archway before them, the gates were open, and in the clearing was a castle, it reminded Harry of a scaled down version of the fairy tale castles he had seen in cartoons as a child.

It looked to be built from black granite, the stone had a shiny quality that gave the impression of the building being wet, there were towers and ramparts, the stream formed a moat around it and a sturdy oak bridge led to the entrance. They walked around the circumference of the clearing, there were a few out buildings, one of them was a stable and Narcissa realised that it was the building she had seen through the trees earlier on.

 

Having explored around the clearing, Harry reasoned that they should go inside, the imposing door had no notable features just a large keyhole, he pulled out the key and slipped it into the lock, it turned smoothly and with an audible clunk the mechanism released. The door swung inwards and they stepped into a vast entrance hall, it was remarkably well lit, the windows were tall and narrow, the upper floor was all open and those windows lit the whole place. A huge black iron chandelier hung down on a thick chain from the centre of the impressive vaulted ceiling.

Harry was itching to see what this place was like, he set off to the nearest door with Narcissa trailing behind, all the rooms on the left were interlinked, they passed through a ballroom, dining hall, library and a few little reception rooms, the library was devoid of books, the furniture that remained looked old, it was sparsely furnished, a few tapestries adorned the walls, huge rugs covered the floor in the dining hall and library, the rest were bare. There were plenty of fire places, everything was clean but there were no signs of life.

Exiting through the last door brought them back into the entrance hall, they walked across to the opposite side, this wing seemed to be dedicated to the functional rooms, the kitchen was massive and more suited to a farmhouse than a castle, it had it all, hanging racks for herbs, meat and pans, a huge oven, cold room, larder and in front of the window, a deep stone basin as the sink. They peered into the laundry room but there wasn't any reason to venture further, Harry went down to investigate the cellar while Narcissa waited for him to return. After a quick scout around, he informed her that there was a giant coal fired boiler, an extensive and stocked wine cellar and a huge coal trough, he surmised that the entrance was concealed in one of the out buildings above ground.

 

They returned once more to the main hall and climbed the grand staircase, on the upper landing it overlooked the floor below, Harry leaned over the ornate bannister, it wasn't noticeable from the ground, but up here you could see the whole floor and the tiles were arranged into a pattern, at its centre was a crest he didn't recognise, the clever design, obviously magical, was made to be viewed in this manner.

All Narcissa said was that she thought the crest looked familiar, they drifted from room to room and noticed that there wasn't a single personal item anywhere, the bedrooms were grand and had basic furnishings but that was all, the drawers and wardrobes were empty, the whole place was like a blank slate. There was a beautifully decorated nursery just off from the master bedroom, the walls held a mural of fantastic creatures, Harry moved closer to inspect the Hippogriff, there were as many non magical creatures as magical, there was a hand carved crib with a rocking chair, Narcissa explained that it was a nursing crib, the mother would sit in the chair to feed, then she could lay the child in the crib and rock them to sleep.

A full size cot was against the wall, a mobile hung from the ceiling, there was also a playpen and all the drawers and cupboards you'd need to accommodate all the bits and pieces needed for raising a child.

Only one door remained unchecked, it creaked open and revealed a stone staircase that wound tightly upwards, intrigued, they carefully climbed up, Narcissa went first, Harry claimed it was so he could catch her if she fell, it was a steep climb, she was adamant that he was using it as an excuse to grope her backside, not that she minded.

They emerged, giggling like children, on the roof, the view was astounding, from this vantage point the tree canopy was just below them, the most surprising sight was the coastline, the trees sloped away for a few hundred meters and then gave way to a white sandy beach, the scenery was breathtaking and still gave no further clue as to where they were.

 

Harry felt a gentle tugging at his sleeve, he turned to his wife and followed her gaze, in the middle of the roof was a circular structure built from the same black granite, a large dome of glass formed the roof, there was a doorway. He hadn't noticed anything, they had exited the stairwell facing away from it and he had been captivated by the view, he had seen the turrets in his periphery, as he looked around he saw that each corner had a tower with a door, they could be investigated later, right now he wanted to see inside that strange domed building.

The door wasn't locked and he pulled it open, it was some kind of observatory, a large telescope dominated the room, curved shelves held books and ornaments, there were chairs and tables, one of the chairs was occupied.

 

“Welcome to Riverbank Castle, you certainly took your time, better late than never, I suppose”

 

Druella Black lay elegantly on a chaise lounge, it made Harry think of a panther.

 

“Mother!”

“Hello Narcissa dear, so, what do you think?”

“I don't know what to think, I don't even know where we are”

 

The fearsome Black matriarch laughed good naturedly and gestured for them to sit. Harry sat on the love seat opposite his mother-in-law, Narcissa sat beside him and smiled to herself as she was wrapped in his arms and pulled close against him. Druella flicked her wand and a table of refreshments appeared between them, she leaned forward and prepared them ice cold drinks. They sipped gratefully at the cooling liquid, the blonde eyed her mother with suspicion, Harry was taking in the room and it was several minutes before the silence was broken.

 

“What is this place?”

“I'm glad you asked, as I said when you arrived, this is Riverbank Castle, situated on Yr Ynys Cudd, this is just one of the names it's known by, the lonely isle and the wandering island are more commonly used, the literal translation of its name is the hidden island”

“That's impossible, no one could have made an entire island unplottable, all that aside, how did you discover it?”

“As you may have guessed, Narcissa, it is linked to both the Potter and Black families, but it wasn't documented in any of the old property deeds, I assume you know them as well as I, this place rightfully belongs to Harry, a fitting wedding gift, I think you'll agree, as for how I discovered it, that is the interesting bit. After Andromeda bought Harry to visit me, a parcel was hand delivered to me by a Gringott's goblin, it contained the key I presented to Harry, to cut a long story short, only a union between our two families would reveal this place, Dorea and Charlus made sure that in the event of another Potter and Black marriage, the key would be delivered to the oldest head of either household, in this instance, me”

“So this is all ours, and if there wasn't another Potter – Black union, it would be lost forever?”

“Exactly, only in my role as custodian, am I allowed to be here”

“Why couldn't we apparate away or call Kreacher? I tried calling him and he didn't come”

“That was partly my doing, had I not prevented you from leaving, you might have missed the surprise”

 

There were a few things that needed to be discussed, due to the complex magic imbued in this place, the only way to get in and out was the key, or utilising a house elf's unique magic, however, the key only worked when it was held between them. Druella hinted, not too subtly, that it would be a wonderful place to raise a child, and she was available to help whenever they needed her. Narcissa politely declined much to Harry's relief, but she would be welcome to visit from time to time, the older witch hugged her daughter and son-in-law and departed.

With the restraints removed, Kreacher was summoned and tasked with providing food. Afterwards Harry instructed him to check the place over, make contact with the house elves, if there were any, and take command, the elf swelled with pride. Harry figured that something had been maintaining the place and considering how old it was supposed to be, modern features had been added, if you could class things from the industrial revolution as modern.

They spent a large part of the day going over the place, Narcissa stayed tight lipped with regards to how she felt until they had gone over everything, when asked what she thought, she stated quite simply that she was perfectly happy in Grimmauld Place, but it would be nice to have a secret hideaway, he agreed.

 

As they lay in their bed that night, she expressed a desire to do something meaningful with her time once the baby arrived, she wanted to move all of her belongings from Malfoy Manor to Riverbank Castle, the furniture would look as at home there as it did in the manor, with Malfoy Manor empty, she wanted to convert it into something that would benefit the wizarding community, but she had no idea what that would be, Draco had no interest in it, and with no other members of family to lay claim to it, it was hers to do with as she wished.

Harry fully supported her idea, providing she didn't over exert herself, the next day, after Harry left for work, she travelled to the manor to start the ball rolling. She relished the challenge and having a purpose, the first task was the most cathartic, the systematic destruction of everything that belonged to Lucius. All of the unwanted items were piled out on the garden's boundaries and reduced to ash by a controlled fiendfyre, it left her feeling a little bit drained, she felt a little guilty at pushing the limits of the promise she'd made her husband, but what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him, it was something she needed to do, it had been liberating.

In their spare time Hermione and Andromeda came to help, they had heard all about it from Harry when he had gone to visit Teddy, it also allowed her ample alone time with her sister, time she spent interrogating her, the older woman refused to confirm or deny that anything was going on between her and Hermione, they had grown close while collaborating on the wedding plans and the rest was none of Narcissa's business, it didn't stop her trying, she brought up the teacher from Teddy's school, and in a tone of voice that quite clearly indicated that the conversation was over said 'you try bringing up an extremely magical child with the ability to alter his appearance in a muggle environment, and not have to have lengthy conversations with those who look after him'

Narcissa relented and apologised a little, she assured her sister that the only thing that mattered was her happiness, she had found hers in Harry, it would take something monumental to beat that.

 

The nights were drawing in and autumn was making way for winter, her work in the manor was mostly done, weeks rushed by, the baby was growing big, Astoria was pleased with her progress, everything was fine, even Draco was starting to get excited about the new arrival, he made a marked effort when interacting with Harry.

That day her son and his wife had visited and it had been nice, once they left she sat reading by the fire, her Aunt's voice drifted up to her, she placed the book down on the table and stood up. There was someone at the door, she thanked Walburga and went to answer, Harry wasn't due home and she wasn't expecting anyone.

Standing on the doorway was a Ministry official, her mind instantly assumed something awful had happened, her stomach dropped and she held tightly to the door frame.

 

“Mrs Potter?” she just nodded her head “I have a letter for you, if you could just tap your wand here” he held out a piece of parchment, she did as requested and he handed over the item “That's all Ma'am, have a good evening”

 

Narcissa slammed the door the second he'd gone, she moved as fast as she could back to the living room and ignored her Aunt's questioning shout. She sat down heavily and opened the letter with shaking hands, her eyes moved back and forth rapidly as she read the words, this day was always going to come, she thought she'd be prepared, she slid to the floor and cried, she cried so hard her whole body shook, finally it was all over, Lucius was dead.

As the crying subsided she attempted to pick herself up but was forced back to the floor by a searing pain in her stomach, she was told that she had a couple of weeks before the baby was due, panic rose up against her rational mind, she sucked in deep breaths. Unsteadily she made it to her feet and her waters broke in a dramatic flood, until just a small trickle of fluid ran down her leg, she called for Kreacher, he appeared instantly in front of her.

 

“I need you to take me to St. Mungo's, then get Harry”

 

Thin green fingers gripped her pale wrist then they were gone, their arrival at the hospital brought instant quiet to the emergency room, medi-witches rushed forward to support her, orders were shouted but to Narcissa it was just noise, a whispered voice by her ear told her that everything would be all right and that they were going to give her something to help with the onslaught of contractions.

 

Less than five minutes later, Harry burst through the doors, he knelt down in front of the elf and sent him to get everyone who mattered, he left the elf and marched over to a nervous looking receptionist, she didn't even need to hear him speak, she called over an orderly and told him where to escort Mr. Potter.

Harry barged through the double doors and his heart thudding loudly in chest after he'd ran down the last few corridors at break neck speed, several medical staff looked up, ready to admonish whoever had disturbed them, a nurse took his arm and pulled him to one side.

 

“She is fine, they couldn't wait for you to arrive so they are doing everything they can to ensure mother and baby are comfortable and calm, she would probably appreciate having her brow mopped and your hand to squeeze”

 

He managed to nod, the doctors were working on her behind a partition, his stomach lurched as he caught sight of a gloved hand, slick with blood, just one of those things the nurse said as she saw the look of horror on his face, she guided him gently to her side, it took a few attempts to locate her hand through his blurred vision, he smoothed her hair and kissed her forehead.

The door opened again and he was vaguely aware of a new set of worried voices, Astoria, Andromeda, and Hermione had arrived, Draco wasn't willing to come into the room, the three women just huddled together in the doorway.

Time no longer existed for Harry, every tick of the clock on the wall seemed to take an age, and then the most wonderful sound, he heard his child cry, several nurses entered and there was an increase in activity, a nurse approached and held out a tiny bundle, small pink fists pumped the air, and legs wriggled free of the blanket.

 

“Congratulations Mr and Mrs Potter, you've got a healthy baby girl”

 

She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, with bright blue eyes and a little mop of jet black hair, he made sure she was secure in the crook of his arm and touched her face with his forefinger, he stroked her tiny palms and she grabbed at his finger. He waited patiently while a nurse helped Narcissa to sit up, he gently laid their baby on her chest and she hugged her tight, tears sprung up at the corners of her eyes and Harry hugged them both. Hospital staff came and went, after a time they were informed that they needed to check baby and mother one last time. He picked her out of Narcissa's arms, she kissed the top of her head, he crossed over to the woman and let her be taken, she was in good hands.

After what felt like hours, the doctors ceased working, a nurse administered an energising draught and a few other things Harry couldn't identify, then some orderlies came and moved her onto a clean bed. The head doctor droned on and on about something, he kept stealing glances at the gorgeous blonde laying on the bed, in the end, the only piece of information Harry had retained, was that Narcissa was fine and could go home as soon as she felt she was able. He thought he would never feel as emotionally drained as he had done after the war, it turned out he was wrong, he heaved a big sigh and went and lay next to his wife who had fallen asleep. Astoria had gone to get them all coffee, it would be several hours before she woke up.

 

Andromeda was dozing in a chair and Hermione was talking and singing to the baby, Astoria had taken to pacing the room, while Harry dozed on and off by his wife's side. Initially he had panicked when Kreacher had turned up in an agitated state, that coupled with the first sight of Narcissa surrounded by medical staff did little to allay his fears, but now it was all all right, it made sense that giving birth wouldn't be totally straight forward, and coupled with his complete inexperience concerning fatherhood, it had looked pretty scary to his eyes. he just had to wait for her to wake up.

The clock struck midnight when he heard his name, he didn't realise he had fallen asleep again, the lights in the room were dim, it took him a few seconds to orientate himself, and he heard her voice.

 

“How long was I out? Is she OK? Can I have some water please?”

 

Her voice sounded hoarse, but he was so glad to hear it, he offered her the glass of water as he answered the rest of her questions.

 

“She is perfect, I'm so proud of you my love, she's sleeping just over there” he pointed to the cot right on the other side of the bed, Narcissa shifted so she could peer inside, she ran a pale finger across a soft pink cheek “You've been asleep for several hours, the nurse said you would need the rest.

“I feel much better, still very sore, I know she's sleeping but can I hold her again”

 

He leaned over and kissed her, his eyes met hers and he smiled that crooked smile, she touched his face tenderly and winced slightly as she sat herself up. Harry walked around the bed and carefully plucked the precious bundle out of the hospital crib, she stirred a little and gurgled in her sleep. He laid her carefully on Narcissa's lap, she was so beautiful and so tiny, everything she could have dreamed of, she was a little bit disappointed hat she'd slept for so long, she would;ve happily suffered a bit of tiredness to just sit and hold her, she scooped her up properly and cradled her close to her chest, tears poured unbidden down her face, and Harry wrapped his arms around them both.

 

“All we need now is a name, but I think that can wait until I'm back on my feet”

 

Draco and Astoria were sleeping on a sofa in the corner, Andromeda and Hermione had been given a camp bed, Harry was eager to wake them, they'd want that, but Narcissa shook her head, she patted the empty space on the bed next to her and edged herself over to make a bit more room for him, he lay on his side facing her and baby, he gently laid an arm around her and eventually sleep claimed him.


	22. Chapter Twenty Two

When they woke up that morning, mother and baby were given the all clear and discharged, Harry was eager for them to get home and catch up on some proper rest. They apparated to Grimmauld place, their daughter was completely unfazed by magical travel and gurgled away happily in Narcissa's arms. With Harry's help she was fighting fit in days and constantly reminded of how compatible they were, he took care of her without ever treating her like an invalid.

They were eager to spend time at Riverbank Castle, but with the constant visits from friends and family, it just wasn't feasible. Andromeda brought Teddy to see them, Hermione came along with them as often as her free time allowed, Ron and his fiancée popped in briefly, he was under instruction from his mother to bring back some pictures of the new addition, relationships were still strained after everything that had happened but they allowed him to, as a sign of goodwill.

Harry chuckled to himself as Astoria became increasingly broody during her visit with Draco, it looked like there would be another child on the horizon. During the second week of being home, they had put the idea of moving onto the back burner for a few months, it would allow them to establish a routine.

 

A few days later, Druella turned up completely unannounced, she walked in like she owned the place, the furniture wasn't up to her standard, that was the impression given as she vaporised a chair and conjured one of her own, even Narcissa stared at her mother slack jawed, with a click of her fingers she summoned Kreacher and ordered food and drink. Finally satisfied with everything she held out her arms for the child, Harry exchanged a look with his wife and with a slight shake of his head, scooped up the tiny bundle and deposited her gently into her grandmother's arms.

The afternoon passed nicely, even the sun had broken through the thick grey clouds and the weak sunlight trickled into the front room, Harry shouldn't have been surprised by Druella's handling of the baby, she did raise three girls of her own, but he did find himself staring at her. It was during one of these moments that he was acutely aware someone had spoken and was expecting a response.

 

“So what are you going to call her?

 

There was a playful glint in her eye as she watched the young man squirm, he looked at Narcissa for help, they had discussed it but hadn't made it official, they had kept coming back around to one name they both liked and she didn't think Harry would mind if she set it in stone now.

 

“Mother, you hold in your arms Lily Dorea Potter”

 

Harry smiled at his wife and dabbed at his eyes, it was a name they had kept coming back to time and time again and it was close to his heart, they were equally agreed that they wanted to include some of the Black family's rich heritage, with the inheritance of the wandering island it made sense to honour Narcissa's ancestor. He was obviously eager to dedicate something to his own mother, but he also liked the flower connection, she had liked his reasoning and had kissed him passionately, things had escalated from there and all talk of baby names had been forgotten. It was official now and they would have to take her to the ministry to be registered, there was no doubt that she would attend Hogwarts but paperwork needed to be signed, and the trace would be applied at the same time.

 

They decided to get it over and done with the following week, things had started to quiet down, the visits from friends and family had dwindled as normal life became more demanding. Harry stepped into green flames and stepped out into the subdued chaos of the Ministry, Narcissa was soon stood beside him, she took his hand as they walked to the elevators.

A few heads turned and whispered conversations broke out, Lily was staring wide eyed all around, the flickering lights reflected in her bright green eyes. Harry leant and kissed her forehead, he was rewarded with a gummy grin. Nobody halted their progress to the registrars offices, the elevator was packed as it was a busy time of the morning, chubby pink fingers tried to reach the inter office memos, she became frustrated at not being able to grab them and made an unhappy sound, just as the elevator bell rang the arrival of their floor, there was a small bang and a woman holding a stack of papers yelped and threw her pile of folders in the air.

Harry apologised profusely and with a flick of his wand cleaned up the mess and returned the paperwork to their owner, Narcissa chuckled and cooed at the tiny girl in her arms. He'd never been to this part of the Ministry before, he'd never had cause and didn't really know what to expect. It was a bright and airy space, there was even a small play area, the counter was occupied by a young looking witch, the look on her face when she recognised Harry was fairly amusing, until she saw Narcissa and their child, she opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of water. He stated their intent and the poor woman quickly pulled herself together with only a small hint of a stammer.

 

It was a pretty standard process marred by pointless procedure, they had to present their wands for inspection, then they signed a few rolls of parchment which covered the consent to the trace, school registration and her magical birth certificate. Lily didn't like the spell used to apply the trace and she whimpered a little bit in protest. That was nothing compared to the weighing, a test of her magical potential, it made Harry think of the boat in that cave full of inferi, he shuddered at an imaginary draft, Narcissa slid her arm round his waist. The young Ministry witch nervously held their daughter, she began to cry in earnest as she was placed on the device, the lamps in the room flickered. Harry soothed his daughter's distress while his wife finished up, unsurprisingly she was a very magical child.

 

Within a year she was crawling and furniture surfing, her accidental magic was a cause for concern but nothing her skilled parents couldn't deal with. As their first anniversary approached Harry had been increasingly busy at work, the Ministry was evolving under Kingsley's rule, he had a dream to turn it into the envy of the magical world. Narcissa didn't mind, she had her hands full with Lily. There was no risk of feeling abandoned or lonely as Andromeda visited most days and sometimes brought Teddy with her, he adored the tiny witch and she was in awe of him as he played games with her and read her stories. Hermione was doing well, but obviously busy during the school term, they made the most of weekends and holidays, her elder sister was slowly healing and it was nice to know that she had someone.

Narcissa had news, Draco and Astoria were expecting a child and they already knew it was going to be a boy, it made her feel broody, Andi just snorted and said that Teddy was more than enough. She didn't need an excuse to visit her youngest sibling but today she was here with a secret agenda, she kept taking furtive looks at the clock when the blonde witch wasn't paying attention, she jumped as the door bell rang, Andromeda didn't and promised to keep an eye on things while she went to answer the door, Narcissa walked out of the room muttering that she wasn't expecting anyone.

 

When she returned she was almost lost in a vast bouquet of flowers, soft brown eyes watched her manoeuvre around the furniture before depositing them carefully on the sideboard.

 

“Couldn't you have used your wand?” Narcissa shot her a dirty look.

“It's not like I had the opportunity, the deliverer was a little rude and impatient”

“Lucky for him you were weighted down with flowers, I assume they are from Harry”

“Of course” her blue eyes glazed over as she stared into the middle distance.

“You are loving this, and he still has it bad for you, it's very sweet”

 

Lily had curled up next to Andromeda and fallen asleep, her Aunt gently stroked her head, the sisters chatted away a few hours. At some point Harry had snuck in and quietly crept in behind his wife, she jolted violently in surprise as his warm hands rested on her shoulders and he kissed her on the temple. Harry had been working on his anniversary gift for most of the year, he knew it would be worth it to see her reaction. He had to pull in many favours and use his fame, he said he was working late some nights, but really he spent his free time on making his plan bear fruit and now it was time. The final piece was getting Andromeda to look after Lily, and that was by far the easiest part. As she had no idea that all this was planned out right under her nose without realising, she was a little annoyed about having, in her words, absolutely no time to get ready, he pulled her close and kissed her pouting lips until she relented.

There was a cough from the sofa that sounded an awful lot like 'get a room' Harry let her go and get ready, he looked far too smug as he pointed out to his sister-in-law that her behaviour was equally questionable, she grumbled something about the unfairness of a busy school term as a red flush crept across her face. He smiled at his sleeping little girl and gently kissed her on the cheek, she had the best godmothers, Ron had been made godfather, it seemed right, he had become a great man and his support for Harry had never wavered.

 

Narcissa swept back into the room, a vision in red, she gave him a twirl and crossed the room to kiss her daughter and sister farewell, then they departed. Harry was feeling impatient, he so wanted to see her reaction to her present, but he'd secured them a table at a fine restaurant. They ate and drank, relaxing music tinkled across the room and when the last of the dessert had been cleared away he took her hand and led her out onto the dance floor. He pulled their bodies close and with a contented sigh she rested her chin on his shoulder. She revelled in his warmth and their closeness as he led the slow dance.

At last the moment had arrived and Harry could feel his own excitement bubbling under the surface, they stepped out into the chilly night air, once in a secluded spot he apparated them to Riverbank Castle, he produced a blindfold and reluctantly she allowed him to cover her eyes and to be led into the building, she tried to recall the layout in the artificial darkness but quickly lost her bearings. After a few minutes they stopped and he moved to stand behind her.

 

“Happy Anniversary, I love you with all my heart, I hope you like your gift”

 

With the blindfold removed it took a short time for her eyes to adjust and as she looked around her mouth dropped open and her hands flew up to her face. All of the books she'd lost to the Ministry raids had been returned and organised carefully into the library here, she wandered between the shelves and ran her fingertips along their familiar spines, aside from a handful of the darkest tomes, it was her entire collection, she couldn't begin to work out how he had made this possible, she hardly noticed the tears that had sprung from her eyes. With her fingers splayed across her chest she turned to face him, he was wearing that crooked smile she adored, she stepped out of her heels and ran barefoot into his arms.

 

“I take it you like it?”

 

She tried to speak but all that came out was a cross between a laugh and a sob, he kissed her hair and held her tight. As she calmed down she raised her head, kissing along his stubbled jaw and reaching his mouth, they kissed each other breathless and broke apart panting.

 

“I love you, I can't imagine the lengths you must have gone to, I know enough about the workings of the Ministry and wouldn't have dreamed it possible”

 

He just smiled and said that he'd do anything for her, her eyes fluttered closed at those words and she bit her bottom lip, when she reopened her eyes he saw a devious glint within them. Standing on tip toes she whispered into his ear that she was wearing his present, but he'd have to wait, she playfully bit his earlobe and moved away, she gave him a salacious wink and called for Kreacher, the summoning must have been prearranged, the elf handed his mistress an ornate box and disappeared with a loud crack.

 

“This is your main present”

 

Harry reached out and took the offered item, it was surprisingly warm, it was crafted out of something that looked and felt like bone, carvings lined all of the edges and on the lid was a sun, he carefully removed the lid, the box contained what looked like fine grey dust. He turned his puzzled face to look at Narcissa who just smiled and shook her head as she took the box from his hands and set it on a nearby table.

 

“I think we might need to stand back a little bit”

 

After a few minutes there was a visible haze above the contents of the box, a few minutes later there was smoke, then without warning a bright flash and a bang, they shielded their eyes. The box was completely unscathed, the tabletop was charred and blistered, and in the middle of this small scale disaster sat an ugly looking chick, it was fluffing it's feathers and preening itself.

 

“Is that what I think it is?”

“Yes, his name is Solus, he's Fawkes' brother, at least that's what my friend from the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures told me”

 

He carefully approached the bird, trying not to startle it and held out his hand, Solus regarded him with bright inquisitive eyes and then pecked his fingers affectionately, apparently the bird would imprint itself on it's owner and create an unbreakable magical bond.

He'd been rendered completely speechless, he couldn't find the words to describe this surge of emotion, she squealed as he rushed and picked her up, after he'd spun her around he tangled his fingers in her soft hair and pulled her lips onto his own. Narcissa whimpered as he broke away.

 

“We should be getting back, I told Andromeda I wouldn't take up her whole evening”

“I don't think it'll be a problem”

“Oh?”

“Well, I had no idea what you had planned, so I asked Hermione if she'd come over”

“I see, in that case I don't feel the least bit guilty”

 

She moistened her lips in anticipation, Harry slowly closed the gap between them, at the last moment he diverted to her neck and sucked hard on her pulse point, she closed her eyes and threw her head back, surrendering to his ministrations. Her right hand grabbed a fistful of black hair and guided him where she wanted him, they staggered backwards until a bookcase gave her a solid surface to lean against.

Warm hands tugged the silky red material of her dress from her pale shoulders, hot kisses peppered across her bare skin as the material pooled around her waist. He stopped to admire her, blue eyes already darkened with lust, her breasts were straining against a beautiful black and red lace bra, see through in places but leaving a little something for the imagination. Trembling fingers grasped the bow and pulled it open, those same fingers ran up her sides from her waist, delightfully ticklish, they slid under the material and cupped her breasts, with a shrug of her shoulders the bra fell to the floor.

The sensation of his warm hands on her cool skin made her shiver with pleasure, he had stooped to encircle an engorged nipple with his tongue as his hand massaged the other, her breathing was becoming heavier by the minute. He ran his tongue from her sternum to her navel and teasingly flicked his tongue into the dip, he knelt down properly and she wiggled her hips to dislodge the dress, she continued to roll her hips seductively, wearing a matching suspender belt, stockings and underwear, naturally. Slowly the final barrier was peeled away, she'd never considered herself to be an exhibitionist but there was no denying the thrill of this and the way he looked at her, it was a different kind of powerful.

A guttural moan escaped her throat as he attacked the soft flesh of her inner thighs, he placed his hands on her buttocks to support her as she lost herself completely to his touch, it wasn't long until she screamed her release and sank down to the floor with him. Harry scooped her up easily and relocated to their bedroom, and after a while they lay happy and spent between cool sheets.

 

They woke early the following day and after a quick wash they returned to Grimmauld Place, Harry started to make breakfast and Narcissa couldn't help but head upstairs to make sure everyone was there. Teddy had slept in Lily's room, the mattress had been pulled off the little bed he was using and laid next to her cot, his arm was threaded though the wooden slats and Lily was gripping it in her tiny hand, both were fast asleep. She quietly backed out of the room and carried on down the hall, the door to the guest room was slightly ajar, she pushed it open just wide enough to set eyes on the room's occupant. The familiar shape of her sister was visible in the low light, as she stepped back a floorboard creaked causing the sleeping witch to stir, as she did, a pale arm came from beneath the covers and wrapped itself back around her, with a smile Narcissa went back downstairs.

 

There was something she loved about sitting down here in the warm kitchen, watching Harry cook for her, he had rolled up his sleeves and peered over the top of his glasses each time they steamed up. Kreacher had gone to inform the heavy sleepers that breakfast was ready. Teddy burst into the room and ran into the blonde witch's arms, her sister followed, then came Hermione and a giggling Lily, she was hoisted over the young brunette's shoulder and held in place with one hand while her other tickled her mercilessly.

Seeing both her Mum and Dad she made a bid for freedom and Hermione put her down, she hugged her Dad's legs and ran to her Mum, muscling Teddy out of the way, who just relocated onto his Gran's lap. The morning meal was a loud, messy, jovial affair, by early afternoon it was just the three of them and Lily was having a nap, life was good.

 

Over the next few years it just got better, Draco and Astoria welcomed Scorpius into the world, Ron married and they all attended, this went a long way to building bridges, only Narcissa noticed a shadow of fear on the young Weasley girl's face as Druella made the rounds, but it was easily dismissed, her mother had that effect on most people. Andromeda and Hermione made their relationship official, McGonagall had presided over that ceremony as well as Ron's. The years after the rebuilding of the school had mellowed her, she had entertained crowds of people with tales of Hermione's strict rule, the young witch shook her head in denial and hid behind her hands at the headmistress' revelations, but was ultimately betrayed by her burning cheeks.

 

Lily was approaching her seventh birthday, Narcissa had been returning to Malfoy manor while Harry was at work, the ancient building was pretty much stripped bare, all of the items she had wanted to save were safely stored at either Grimmauld Place or Riverbank castle. She had enjoyed turning the castle into their home, Harry was more than happy for her to have free reign when it came to the decor.

The decision had been made to hand the Malfoy's ancestral home over to the Ministry, they would put it to good use, today she was packing away her family tree, the room at Riverbank castle was already prepared and waiting. Lily had taken to running down the corridors and exploring the nooks and crannies. Periodically, Narcissa would take out her wand and check on her with a simple spell, satisfied that all was well she returned to her task.

 

Lily enjoyed accompanying her mother to the Manor, it was so big and there was a lot of ground to explore, in the beginning it was still furnished and rooting through all of the cupboards and wardrobes had kept her amused for hours. Now it was bare and too cold outside to roam around the gardens, so she stayed in and wandered the halls and empty rooms. In the west wing on the second floor, there was one locked door, she hadn't bothered with it since the first time she came here, but this could be the last time they came here and curiosity had finally got the best of her.

As she pondered on how to gain entry she realised the solution was simple, and Kreacher was more than happy to help the young girl, the lock clicked open, with a short bow the elf vanished with a crack. She lingered outside for several minutes and strained to hear whether or not the noises had alerted her mother to her mischief, happy that the coast was clear, she reached for the handle and stepped into the room pulling the door closed behind her.

 

She stood in a large square room, there was an impressive looking fireplace in the middle of the wall opposite the door. She noticed that the walls once held pictures, bare nails protruded from the walls at regular intervals, one such picture was leant against the fireplace, it was very large and obscured most of it. Dust covers had been draped over the items piled against the walls and she approached the nearest pile and lifted a corner of the heavy canvas sheet.

A voice complained loudly at the sudden bright light and startled her so much she sat down hard on her backside as she tried to scurry away. A stern gentleman looked out at her from his ancient frame, there were noticeable similarities between him and her mother, she apologised, manners were very important, as she was constantly reminded, a gentle tug brought the covering back down over the painting and a muffled 'thank you' was just audible.

 

Curiosity won over her initial fear and feeling emboldened began to peek under other parts of the dust sheet, some faces were familiar, others weren't, some were very rude. Then her eyes settled on the picture in front of the fire, the frame looked very grand, she could tell even looking at the back, she pulled it away from the fire to feel it's weight, it was surprisingly light. It was very big and she carefully turned it around and leant it back against the fire.

Her eyes lit up at the painting, the subject in the frame was stock still and their eyes were closed, she hadn't taken in the subtle differences, the colour of the hair, the jewellery and the clothing, and called out aloud.

 

“Auntie Dromeda?”

 

Eyes snapped open and rested on the child, she turned to look at her properly, almost jet black irises adjusted to the light and stared at the wide, inquisitive green ones. Lily had sat down and crossed her legs in front of the woman who looked so much like her Aunt.

 

“If that blood traitor is your Aunt, then your Mother must be Narcissa?”

“Uh huh, what's a blood traitor?”

“Who won the war?”

“What war?”

“Merlin, you are an irritating little chit, you might be Cissy's daughter but you don't seem to have her brains, curious, you don't look anything like Lucius”

 

Lily sat and listened to the woman arguing with herself.

 

“Who are you?”

“I would be your Auntie Bella, I'm surprised you haven't heard of me, but that's not important right now, I want to know who you are, I don't believe I have a niece, I used to, but not any more”

 

When the dark haired lady laughed, it sent cold chills down her spine, she was a sensible girl, her mother and father told her so, this was just a picture, she'd seen them before, she frequently talked to Walburga Black, her Great Aunt, and she didn't find that at all strange or scary.

 

“I'm Lily”

“Nice to meet you, but I am curious as to who your father is”

“That is none of your business Bellatrix”

“Cissy, you are looking well”

 

Lily had jumped at the sound of her mother's voice, it was a tone she wasn't familiar with, she only used it when she was angry and having been on the receiving end of it a few times, she did her best to avoid it. She stood up and ran to her mother who scooped her up and held her against her hip.

 

“So what happened to dear Lucius?”

“He is dead, it's no great loss”

 

A wicked smile flashed across Bella's face, Narcissa's jaw was set firm as she spoke

 

“You've obviously remarried, who is the lucky man?”

“Harry Potter” the blonde witch smirked at her sister

“The brat who just wouldn't die, surely you jest?”

“Not at all, it'd like to say its been nice talking to you but I don't like to lie, things have changed since the war and there's no longer a place for you. I won't destroy your portrait Bella but I doubt we'll talk any time soon”

 

The silencing spell rattled the painting and she turned away as the dark witch's face contorted with rage, she kept her daughter occupied so she couldn't see the muted display of anger, the door clicked shut and they apparated home. Lily sat and played at the table while her mother started dinner, she kept looking at the door, her dad would be home soon.

 

“Mum?”

“Yes sweetheart”

“Why did Aunt Bella want dad dead? She also called Auntie Dromeda a blood traitor and said something about a war”

 

The knife she had been chopping vegetables with clanged as she set it down on the side, she crossed the room and sat opposite her little girl.

 

“It's a very long story, and even though you are very clever, you are a bit too young to understand, many years ago some very horrible things happened, a lot of people died, including your Aunt, believe me, it's much better now, so don't worry yourself”

 

Bright green eyes narrowed in thought, and like a cloud passing in front of the sun, it was gone, she returned to her drawing, Narcissa kissed her on top of her head and went back to the dinner.

 

“Daddy's home!”

 

She had a knack of knowing, and as soon as she spoke the front door closed and they heard him greet Mrs Black, Lily had stealthily moved to the kitchen door, eager to surprise her dad as he entered. On cue, he stepped into the room, he walked to Narcissa and slipped his arms around her middle and kissed her neck.

 

“Ewwwww, gross”

 

Harry jumped away like he'd been electrocuted.

 

“I thought it was a little bit quiet in here, I should have known you were up to something”

 

He removed his wand and gently levitated his daughter off the floor, she squealed with delight, he plucked her from mid air and gave her a big hug, she squeezed him tight, wrapping her arms around his head and knocking his glasses squint. Narcissa served dinner and they sat to eat.

 

“Lily met her Aunt today”

“Andromeda went to the manor to help you?”

“Her other Aunt”

“Oh! I see, everything all right?”

“Nothing I couldn't handle, she was surprised to hear of our union”

He chuckled “I'm sure she was”

 

Four and a half years had passed since Lily had met Bellatrix, her Hogwarts letter had arrived, she would be going when term started. She had grown tall, her black hair hung long and curly, she was the perfect mix of her parents. She moved restlessly around her parents' room in Riverbank Castle, occasionally moaning about how long it was taking for her mum to get ready, her dad leant against the door frame, the excitement she was feeling had begun manifesting itself as small bouts of uncontrolled magic, today they would go to Diagon Alley. That in itself was a source of much excitement, she loved going, but this time she would be getting her wand.

Diagon Alley was packed, she always found it a little strange the way random people would stare at them, some would stop and shake her dad's hand, he always shrugged it off, for a long time she knew her parents weren't like everyone elses. They went into Flourish and Blotts to collect all of the books she would need for her first year, Kreacher obligingly came and took it all away for them, they also visited Eeylops, without any prompting, she selected a beautiful Snowy Owl.

Once they had collected her cauldron, apothecary supplies, quills, ink and parchment they stood outside Ollivander's, She was almost hopping from one foot to the other in anticipation, Harry reached for Narcissa's hand and Lily led them both inside.

 

The shop had remained unchanged since his last visit, in fact it hadn't changed since he got his wand, it was dimly lit and musty, at first glance it appeared empty, when the door had opened there was a faint tinkling of a bell somewhere at the back of the shop. Lily approached the counter and fiddled with a small pile of boxes, she let out a small shriek when a wizened old man appeared from beneath the counter, his grey watery eyes made huge by the glasses he wore.

 

“Young Mistress Potter, I had a feeling that I'd be seeing you”

 

He looked up and greeted her parents, his gaze lingered on Narcissa the longest, and just as the silence was becoming unbearable, he shifted all his attention back to Lily.

 

“With parents like yours I imagine you will be a very tricky customer”

 

He wasn't lying and her arm was beginning to ache with all the wand waving, there had been a few minor explosions and a few unexpected fires, the longer it went on the more gleeful he became, she also discovered that she had overtaken her own father in the difficult customer stakes.

The old man seemed to be deep in thought and without a word he disappeared into the recesses of the shop, after several minutes he returned carrying a tatty looking wooden box. Ollivander opened the lid and offered out its contents, she felt something before her fingers gripped the wood, then a warmth she wasn't expecting surged down her arm and through her body, it was a wonderful feeling, the old wandmaker looked equally pleased as he announced it.

 

“Walnut, twelve and three quarter inches, dragon heartstring”

 

Narcissa's mouth twitched at the corners and her blue eyes caught those unnerving grey ones for just a second, then Harry was at the counter and completing the transaction. Finally they stepped out into the bright street, the last errand for the day was a quick trip to Gringotts so that she had a little bit of pocket money. They stopped at Florean Fortesque's for Ice Cream, it was another oddity that Lily noticed, they never seemed to pay when they went there.

 

Summer was drawing to a close, the weather was still warm but the days were definitely getting shorter, Lily had packed her trunk ready weeks ago, and both Harry and Narcissa hoped that her seemingly unlimited enthusiasm would last after a few terms. She barely slept the night before they travelled to Kings Cross station, she had gone downstairs while her parents slept and had breakfast, then a few hours later when the sun came up she made herself some toast.

Harry smiled and shook his head when he walked bleary eyed into the kitchen, he fixed himself a drink and sat down at the table, Narcissa came in not long after, she leaned over her husband's shoulder so they could share a kiss and continued until their daughter's fake retching sounds ceased. Lily was certain they were being slow on purpose, she wanted to get to London and onto the platform as soon as possible.

 

Kreacher kindly transported her trunk to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, having heard all about the magical entrance, she broke away from her parents as soon as it was in sight and ran fearlessly into the barrier. When they caught up with her she was pacing up and down impatiently, Frost hooted at her from his cage before tucking his head beneath a wing.

The platform was as packed as Harry had ever seen it, the scarlet steam engine looked exactly as he remembered, he even saw the same witch from his day loading on the snack trolley. Narcissa hugged her daughter and desperately tried to hold back her tears, Harry looked just as emotional.

 

“Remember to write, give our regards to Minerva and our love to Neville and Hermione” she just rolled her eyes at them “I hope you get sorted into Griffindor....”

Narcissa elbowed him hard in the ribs “......or Slytherin”

“Please behave, the school rules are there for a reason”

“Merlin's beard Mother, you and Dad must have been so bloody boring”

“Watch your language young lady”

 

She smiled at them, held up her right hand and swore that she would try and do as they asked, she was halfway to the carriage when she ran back and hugged them fiercely, and assured them that she would miss them and couldn't wait to be back for Christmas, Narcissa cried then and Harry pulled her into his arms. They watched her board the train and waved until it had pulled out of sight.

 

That night after the dinner things had been cleared away, they were sitting together in the living room when the fire place suddenly flared to life only to die moments later, in the grate was a piece of parchment. Harry slid out from under Narcissa's legs and retrieved it, he recognised Hermione's neat handwriting, he cracked the seal and unfolded it.

 

_Dear Harry and Narcissa,_

_Lily was sorted into Gryffindor (sorry Narcissa) she is settling in well, I don't think she will have the time to write tonight and thought you'd like to know._

 

_See you soon_

_Love Hermione._

 

It felt good knowing that she was OK, he walked back over to the sofa they had been sharing and knelt by her side, she was sulking, he whispered platitudes in her ear to which all he got was a grunt of dissent. It took him a little while to win her around, insisting that houses no longer mattered, and that it wasn't so bad loving two Gryffindors. He stood and took her hand, then led her to bed.

 

Lily's first week at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had been amazing, once everyone had found out who she was, she had become the centre of attention. Having always suspected her parents were famous for something didn't prepare her for the truth. Not only had he brought about the end of the second wizarding war with her Aunt and Godfather, her mother had risked everything to save him and every day she was finding out something new, at the first opportunity she wrote a letter home, and couldn't wait for the Christmas holidays

 

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_I hope this finds you well. The first week has been amazing, Aunt Hermione kindly sent you a note about my sorting, the hat knew all about me, and you and mum, it was really weird. The lessons are so much fun, I love Charms, Transfiguration, Defence Against the Dark Arts, (the subject seems a bit pointless now, but we will learn to duel and other cool stuff), Potions, pretty much all of them! Hermione is very strict, all the stories were true, but she's very good._

_I'm making lots of friends, next week we learn to fly a broom, a girl in my year took me to the trophy room and Dad's name is on so many trophies. Madam Hooch pulled me aside the other day and told me about how you became the youngest seeker for Gryffindor in over a century, she asked me to say hello._

_I can't believe you never told me any of this, you wait till I get home! Sorry I ever said you were boring. Which brings me to my final point, we had History of Magic this week, we are studying the wizarding wars, it's very strange learning about your own father as part of the curriculum, I think I understand why you didn't tell me all about it, at least it won't be too hard to get full marks, I'm quite the authority on Harry James Potter, I will try not to let all the attention go to my head._

_I love you both, and I'll be back before you know it._

 

_Lily x x_

 

 

**The End**


	23. Chapter Twenty Three - Epilogue

**The Unexpected Epilogue : Like Father, Like Daughter**

 

 

Minerva Mcgonagall sat in her chair, behind the vast desk in her office, head teachers from throughout the ages slumbered in their portraits. She picked up a crystal tumbler and took a sip of the contents, her eyes fluttered closed as she savoured the drink, a fine bottle of single malt stood to the side of a large stack of papers.

There was a faint knock on the door, it was so quiet it went unheard, the severe woman drained her glass and the second knock came, louder and more assured this time, she hastily pulled open a drawer and stashed the empty glass and the bottle. She cleared her throat and called out to her visitor in her usual, strong, authoritative voice.

 

“Come in, ah, Miss Potter, I appreciate your punctuality, you may sit”

 

The first time she had set eyes on the girl had been a monumental shock. Hagrid had ushered the first years into the Great hall as he did every year, and then there was an audible gasp from the more senior members of staff. The sorting list fell from her hand and drifted to the table, Lily Potter-Black was almost a head taller than the rest of the students, she held herself just like her mother, her features were softer, but she didn't bear a strong resemblance to Harry or Narcissa, that came elsewhere, in subtle ways and mannerisms. She had bright green eyes and wild black hair, not quite a mess of curls, but close.

She stood slightly apart from the nervous looking group of first year children, if she hadn't been looking all around in wonder, she would have appeared quite bored. The headmistress composed herself and walked over to the stool carrying the tatty looking sorting hat.

 

Lily knew that she had a head start on most of the first years, she was an instant attraction on the Hogwarts Express, many people passed by her compartment to look in, a few were brave enough to talk to her. At the Hogsmeade station she was suitably awed by the size of the gatekeeper, one of her Dad's oldest friends, she took the boat ride across the lake in her stride, the giant squid had surfaced and slipped a tentacle into her boat, as the rest of the passengers screamed, she had sat up and given the creature a hard slap, the offending tentacle was quickly withdrawn.

Standing in the Great hall was a fantastic feeling, she could feel the other students scrutinising the new first years, she looked around at the floating candles, the huge containers that held the housepoint tally for the school houses, the stool for the sortee to sit on, and finally the staff table. She waved cheerily at Hermione who responded in kind, she had a good relationship with the woman and hoped that she wouldn't report back to her parents for every little thing.

The sorting took an age, she idly twirled her wand in her hand until her name was finally called, everyone in the hall abandoned their whispered conversations, she had the undivided attention of the room, she emulated her mother perfectly, strutted to the stool and sat on it like a throne, the sorting hat was lowered onto her head, she let out a small squeak when a voice spoke to her.

 

“ _My, my, my, what do we have here? The daughter of Harry Potter and Narcissa Black has finally come to Hogwarts. Your mother comes from a long line of Slytherins, and your father from a long line of Gryffindors, I've said it before, he would have done well in Slytherin. You have a keen intellect, you could excel in Ravenclaw, but you have the heart of a lion, and then there's your power, you are so like your Aunt, a truly remarkable witch, fearless and unrivalled._

_You have so much potential, I never thought that I would have this much trouble with a single student.”_

 

There was no indication of the passing of time, the hat rarely ceased chatting, she must have been sat there a long time as the noise of conversations in the room was beginning to build again, there was a slight feeling of panic growing in the pit of her stomach, what if she wasn't sorted? She smoothed down her robes with sweaty palms, trying to rid them of their clamminess at the same time.

 

“ _Well Miss Potter-Black, I think that there is only one place that you can go”_

 

The hat thundered the word 'GRYFFINDOR' and she jumped so much she almost fell off the stool, the hat was removed from her head and the Headmistress gave her a slight push towards her house table.

 

She sat rigid in the chair and met the eye of the formidable Scotswoman in the chair opposite, she managed a small smile, her parents held her in very high esteem, apparently she had married her parents many years ago, there was a slight twitch at the corners of the woman's mouth.

 

“Do you know why you're here, Lily?”

“No Professor”

“Why do I get the feeling that there is a snake in the lion's den every time we have to meet like this” the young girl just shrugged her shoulders “you were in the forbidden forest again”

“How do you always know?”

“I have my ways, and your father's cloak won't hide you from me either”

 

Her eyebrows shot up, how on earth did she know about the cloak, Hermione knew, she had told her about some of their exploits, she had underestimated the headmistress' friendship with her father, she tried to put on a neutral look, a mask, something else she learned from her mother.

 

“You do realise how dangerous the forest is?” she nodded “still trying to ride unicorns, I admire your tenacity, but if one were to gore you with it's horn, well, it's not a wound that's easily healed”

“I have ridden them”

“Excuse me?”

“I have ridden them, they trust me” there was a strength building in her voice now, the headmistress recovered quickly from that amazing revelation

“Have you given any thought as to what would happen if you strayed into Centaur territory?”

“I've met them plenty of times” she said with an air of defiance “Is it true Firenze saved my father's life in his first year?”

“Merlin's beard, your father's reputation won't save you from everything, and I have had this same conversation before, with your mother's eldest sister, there are so many similarities between you”

 

The old witch removed her spectacles and rubbed her eyes, she wasn't a bad girl, quite the opposite, she was studious, talented, fiercely loyal to her house and her friends, not since Bellatrix had she had to deal with such shenanigans.

 

It must have been the second week of Lily's first year, during Madam Hooch's flying lesson, that was their first taste of her propensity for bending the rules, they were pretty sure it was Harry's house elf that had smuggled her Dad's Firebolt in for her, it may have been an ancient broom by the standard of the day, but compared to the school brooms, it was potent. Her skill was unprecedented, she stood dejected, as Madam Hooch conversed with McGonagall over her reckless behaviour. Minerva had her first bout of deja vu, the Gryffindor team was a shadow of it's former self, if she had a fraction of her father's skill, maybe they could win the house cup again, she shook herself out of that daydream and focussed her attention on the matter in hand. Despite the Quidditch coach's rant about how she could have been a stain on the castle walls, it was hard not to notice a hint of admiration in her voice.

 

In her regular lessons, she excelled at everything she put her wand to, she had grasped Charms and Transfiguration instantly and they came to her as naturally as breathing in and out. Defence Against the Dark Arts earned her a second trip to the headmistresses office, although the subject didn't operate in the same capacity as it had during the war, it was a favourite subject amongst the student body, they practised duelling competitively once they had mastered the basic shield spells and disarming spells.

Lily had been paired with a Ravenclaw boy with a tactical approach to duelling, admittedly, he wasn't nearly as talented as the young witch, but he was the only one who might have a chance against her. She hadn't intended on hurting him, in order to get a feel for her opponent, she had started defensively, playing weak on purpose. When she saw an opening she had struck, the poor boy had spent two weeks in the hospital wing. It was decided that she was too advanced for duelling, but wasn't prohibited from practising on the training dummies, Minerva reasoned that it would probably be a good idea not to take away her only means of letting off steam, just in case, she had been upset that her duelling partner was hurt, she didn't know her own magical strength.

 

The shadows in the office were growing long and the lamps around the room had flared into life, she gave Lily permission to return to her dorm and that she was to go straight there, no diversions, or she would know, she nodded, thanked the old witch and left.

McGonagall went and sat back at her desk, she opened a drawer and took out a sheet of parchment, she took out her wand and as she touched it she uttered the words 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good' she watched the tiny dot until it was safely back in Gryffindor tower, 'Mischief managed' Harry had loaned her the map after she realised the futility of trying to keep his daughter out of the forest and she would be eternally grateful for it.

 

Aside from her inherent skill with a wand, she was equally talented in other areas, she was Horace Slughorn's favourite student, a fact that put more than a few noses out of joint, Herbology was tolerated, a large part of that was down to Neville, he commented often on her ability, and moaned frequently that she put most of the class to shame with only a fraction of effort, in the end he gave up trying to get her to give her all.

Hagrid absolutely adored her, there wasn't a creature that didn't take to her, and she would often help him outside of class, partly it was because it gave her a legitimate reason to stray into the forbidden forest and partly a genuine love of the creatures, she would only ever admit to herself that it was all about the creatures, she had a reputation to maintain.

 

During her second year the Tri-Wizard tournament made a welcome return, her dad came along to school frequently, as he was the reigning champion, the Ministry thought it was the perfect time to bring it back, enough time had passed since the war, new rules had been drafted and it was a fantastic and thrilling affair. Lily was a little upset about the lack of Quidditch, but it was nice having her father around and her mother, they were still very much in love, she found it very embarrassing and in order to keep the peace, they had had taken a room in Hogsmeade, to spare her blushes.

On her twelfth birthday a parcel had been placed on her bed, it contained her father's invisibility cloak, she was beside herself with glee, after a year of keeping her nose clean, she now had the ways and the means to indulge in her favourite extra curricular activities.

She managed to convince Hermione to disclose the details of many of their adventures and that made her want to have a few adventures of her own, even if it was just visiting the places these momentous events had taken place in. She gave up trying to find the Room of Requirement pretty swiftly, it seemed her transfiguration teacher was correct and that the fiendfyre had destroyed the room completely. Also, she didn't like the awkward atmosphere that asking about it caused, her big brother had looked positively ill when she had brought it up at a family gathering.

The castle was so vast, the loss of one exciting avenue to pursue wasn't that big a deal, so she took to learning the castle's layout by heart, she had located all of the entrances to the other house common rooms, she had even managed to gain entry to the Slytherin common room, as cool as it was, she preferred the luxury and comfort of being a Lion. Apparently the wards recognised her dominant Black bloodline, the headmistress hadn't been angry with her that time, she just got a telling off for breaking curfew.

 

Minerva didn't have any real proof that Lily used her father's invisibility cloak, she knew the castle so well, she didn't doubt her ability to navigate its halls unseen, she was, however, pretty certain that it was a recent acquisition, she definitely didn't have it in her first year. Her suspicions were roused further during Lily's third year, the headmistress had to deal with an irate librarian once or twice a week, several books had wandered off, only to reappear a few weeks later, she had dismissed it at first, they weren't dark or dangerous books, they covered creature languages, animagi and magical myth, she was baffled by the fact that they could have just been checked out of the library through normal channels.

 

With the gift of hindsight, Lily had realised that her third year escapades would have turned out better if she had just checked the books out of the library normally, she justified her actions with the simple fact that she loved the freedom of the castle at night. There was nothing like the rush of evading a teacher or the caretaker, and as she was out and about, it made sense to pick up a few useful items along the way, she always returned them.

She had heard about the merpeople who lived in the Black lake and was determined to meet them, she had taught herself how to swim, perfected the bubblehead charm and learned enough mermish to talk her way out of trouble, that was one of the few pursuits that didn't get her an exclusive audience with the headmistress.

On one of her midnight wanderings, she had been walking down one of the many corridors when she heard someone crying, she had crept along and listened at each door until she located the source of the noise, it was the girl's bathroom, she tentatively pushed the door open and stepped into the bathroom. Even though she moved quietly her footsteps were obscenely loud in the quiet. She moved along the stalls and pushed open the doors one by one, her heart thudded in her chest. In the final stall sat a girl, a ghost of a girl, she wore massive black rimmed spectacles and was crying.

 

“Are you all right?” the question sounded pretty stupid to her now she'd said it

 

The girl looked at her and the crying stopped, her eyes were wide.

 

“Do I look all right to you? Foolish girl. Who do you think you are, barging in here, you should be in bed, you're out after hours, maybe I should go and find Filch”

“No, please don't, who are you?”

“I'm Myrtle”

“Nice to meet you, I'm Lily, Lily Potter-Black”

 

The ghost's whole demeanour changed in an instant, she moved close and her arm passed clean through her and it felt like she'd just had ice water poured on her, she shivered involuntarily.

 

“Who is your father?”

“Harry Potter, why?”

“I know him well, in his second year, him and his friends brewed polyjuice potion in here and I helped him in the Tri-Wizard tournament”

“Why did they need to make polyjuice potion?”

“They were looking for the Chamber of Secrets, the entrance is just over there”

 

She pointed to a large octagonal arrangement of sinks, Lily walked over to investigate, there was nothing unusual about it at first glance, on closer inspection she saw that there was a snake etched onto one of the taps.

 

“How does it open?”

“No idea, Harry just made these weird hissing noises and it opened”

“My dad can speak to snakes?”

 

After that night she became determined to enter the chamber and see it for herself, it had taken her months of sneaking into the restricted section of the library before she found enough information on parseltongue to attempt speaking it. Each night she would sneak to the bathroom and hiss at the fixtures and fittings, sometimes Myrtle would be there, mostly she was alone.

One night she was sat on the cold tile floor, frustration had got the better of her and she cried angry tears, she kept trying to vocalise what she had learnt to no avail, in her distress she cursed under her breath, at least that's what she thought, she screamed when the solid marble she was leaning against suddenly moved.

The whole bank of sinks sank into the floor and parted, she crawled on all fours and looked down into the black hole, she shone her wand into the pit, it was just a slide, she swung her legs over the edge and pushed herself off.

 

She landed at the bottom with a bit of a bump, bones cracked under her boots, the large vault door hung open, cautiously she edged forward, from what Myrtle had told her, the chamber contained the last living Basilisk in Great Britain, and it had been unleashed on the school. Her dad, along with his two best friends had discovered the secret and he had come down here and killed it.

Standing inside the chamber she could see the skeleton, it was absolutely huge, the fangs had been broken from the skull and many lay strewn across the floor, she knew enough to stay well away from them.

Now that her curiosity was well and truly satisfied she felt compelled to leave, the trip back to the bathroom was hard, she had to brace her arms and legs either side of the slick pipe and slowly work her way up, eventually, grimy and sweaty, she pulled herself out and onto the floor or Myrtle's toilet, and was faced with a pair of very shiny boots, as her eyes travelled upwards the feeling of dread slipped deep into her stomach, as her eyes reached the hem of the tartan skirt, she had the feeling that she was in deep trouble.

 

Not a word was spoken as she followed the headmistress through moon dappled corridors, finally they were standing in her office, she crossed the room to the fireplace and threw a handful of floo powder into the flames, a silver jet flew from the tip of her wand. After several agonising minutes her worst fears were realised as her mother stepped out of the flames, followed closely by her dad.

 

“I'm sorry to disturb you both at this most unsociable hour” the Scottish lilt seemed much more pronounced, possibly because she was angry “Your daughter has just returned from a midnight stroll”

“Well, I'm sure even Narcissa strayed out after hours, and if she denies it, I'll check with Andromeda” her mother gave him a look that clearly said that this was not the time for his particular brand of humour.

“Maybe Harry, but she decided to take her walk in the Chamber of Secrets”

“Oh, I see” his hand strayed into his hair, just like it always did on these occasions

“I hear about all these things that you did, I just wanted to see it for myself” she added sulkily

“How do you want to deal with this Minerva? Surely you won't expel her, she didn't put anyone in danger”

“No, I don't think that's necessary, in better circumstances I'd be impressed, she taught herself parseltongue, the ghosts have told me she can speak a bit of mermish, she's made friends with the centaurs and apparently can ride a unicorn, there's only been one student at this school that could claim those things”

“Bellatrix” her mother spoke the name in a whisper

“Yes, but I do believe that she had two willing companions” Narcissa looked scandalised “Of course I knew what you all got up to”

 

They stood there in silence until Lily piped up

 

“Right, well I'll just be taking myself off to bed, I'd give you both a hug but I smell like drains and I'm covered in slime, night” she turned and headed to the door

“Not so fast young lady” she froze with her hand almost on the door handle

“Detention Miss Potter, tomorrow night at seven, and every night going forward, until I decide otherwise, do not be late”

“Yes Professor, night mum, night dad”

 

She hung her head and slunk out of the room.

 

“Sorry to call you both out, but in terms of impact, it will help immensely, I can't imagine where she gets her rebellious streak from” her parents regressed back to school age under her withering stare “Her school work remains exemplary, Hermione is worried she's about to lose the title of the brightest witch of her age, but I think it's about time it was passed on, she is a credit to you both, I'm just getting too old for this”

 

While her parents chatted, Lily walked slowly back to her dorm. As it was the weekend, she stopped and threw herself through the shower, shattered but clean, she finally collapsed into bed and didn't wake up until the afternoon.

 

Her nephew joined the school at the end of her fourth year, Scorpius adored her and followed her around like a shadow, despite being sorted into Slytherin. She had mellowed a little, she still liked to wander outside the rules, but it was very low key, she liked being a role model to the miniature Draco. That didn't mean she wasn't prone to showing off, and the quidditch pitch was the best place, and probably the safest. He clung onto her waist for dear life as she kicked off from the ground and shot up way above the stands and the goal hoops. After a few laps of the field and when his screaming had died down, he began to enjoy it.

 

As time wore on she felt the need for a new challenge, she didn't have long left at school, all that remained was to find that challenge, she'd managed to add her name to a number of school trophies, she was so far ahead in classes, she could probably pass the exams in her sleep. Inspiration had struck one day while she was talking to Hermione after class.

 

“I want to become an animagi” she just blurted it out and Hermione just stared blankly at her

“Why?”

“Why not, it'd be cool, you can help me” she grinned earnestly at her other Aunt

“I don't think that's a good idea, we'd have to register your intentions with the ministry, your parents would have to consent, you aren't even eligible to begin apparation training until next year”

“I don't want to do all that, we don't have to do all that, you might as well help, I'll only go off and do it anyway”

 

Hermione knew this to be completely true, she was torn. The young witch continued.

 

“It would be safer if you helped, I'd hate to get stuck as a human cat” her Professor shot her a dirty look

“That was an accident with polyjuice potion, trust you to make friends with Moaning Myrtle”

“Is that a yes? Pleeeeease, you know you're my favourite Aunt”

“Nice try brat, that won't work on me, I'll think about it, but I want a five foot roll of parchment all about the theory, show me you have a full understanding of magical transformation, and I will consider helping, if you attempt it on your own, I'll tell your mother”

“Deal, you're the best”

 

Several weeks later, Hermione sat alone in her classroom marking work, Lily walked in looking smug and dropped a tight roll of parchment on to the desk, she looked up at the young witch inquiringly.

 

“Your essay, Professor Granger” realisation dawned, she'd completely forgotten the deal she had made

 

She set her ink and quill aside and took the article, she opened it and a good seven feet of parchment unrolled onto the floor, the girl's smug grin got bigger. Hiding her surprise well, she took out her wand and subjected the work to a series of spells and charms, it hadn't been plagiarised, and it was all original work, no self writing spell had been used.

 

“Thank you Lily, you may go”

“But you said...”

“yes, but it's going to take me some time to read it, and I have marking to finish”

 

The girl huffed impatiently and stomped out of the room, once she had left Hermione allowed herself a little chuckle, after all she couldn't make it too easy for her. She had read it that night while tucked up in her Hogwart's bedroom, grudgingly she had to admit it was pretty much faultless. A few weeks went by before she approached Lily to begin lessons, she might not have wanted to play by the rules but the golden girl was no fool, she had filled out all the ministry paperwork herself, on behalf of an unnamed but extremely talented pupil, and used her considerable influence to have it all fast tracked, with her conscience clear she arranged to teach the eager girl.

 

It was the night of the first lesson, Lily had arrived early, she levitated all of the classroom furniture to the back of the room, she sat on the teacher's desk and waited.

 

“At last, I've been here for ages”

“I'll have you know that I am on time, it's not my fault you're early, did you bring your mandrake leaf?” she looked slightly crestfallen, she had obviously forgotten “It's just as well I swung by the greenhouses earlier”

“So, what now?”

“Well, I think first I need to see your Patronus”

“You're stalling, why can't we just get stuck in?” it came out much more defensive than she had intended, it didn't go by unnoticed

“Didn't you take in anything from that essay you wrote? Your Patronus will most likely dictate your animal form, you might not want to learn how to do it if your Patronus turns out to be a sea slug”

“Can you teach me how to do it, please?”

“What?! A spell the great Lily Potter-Black hasn't added to her repertoire, I am shocked”

 

She pulled a face that would have made Narcissa incredibly proud and ruined it by sticking out her tongue.

 

“What's your Patronus?

“It's an Otter” she pulled out her wand and summoned it for the girl.

“If I had known they looked that cool, I probably would have learned how to do it, but the books made it sound so unremarkable, What form does my Dad's take?”

“It's a stag”

“Mum?”

“I-I-I'm not sure she can, I've never seen her cast one, and it has long been believed that anyone who associates with the dark arts can't create one”

“You only need a strong happy thought, and she has to have loads of those, after all, Dad saved her from that life, and as much as I wish they'd get a damn room sometimes, she is happy all the time”

“I honestly don't know, I'm sure you are right, anyway, you know the basics, so pick your memory well and say 'Expecto Patronum' and flick your wand like this.”

 

She demonstrated the motion and handed the floor over to her young charge, she had managed to produce a cone of silvery light, but not a full corporeal Patronus, Hermione had a feeling that her growing frustration was hindering her, she wordlessly cast a calming charm on her, as she tried the spell again there was an explosion of silvery light, a huge Raven flew around the room and settled on the girls shoulder.

Lily experienced a complete moment of serenity and felt the magic flow, she opened her eyes just in time to see her Patronus emerge, when it landed on her shoulder it gave her a tremendous feeling of warmth and joy, and seeing the majestic bird made her want to be an animagus more than anything.

 

For reasons Hermione couldn't quite explain, Lily had to spend the next month with a mandrake leaf in her mouth, she wasn't known for her patience but the young witch was determined, her only complaint was that it made all of her food taste funny.

Once the month was up they reconvened, in the event she actually managed to change, Hermione had performed some very complicated charms to ensure that she wasn't ever caught without clothes. The next few weeks were mostly uneventful, she caught up on paperwork and Lily had yet to make any progress, unless you counted spitting feathers and elongating her nose. That was about as exciting as it got for several weeks, it became a routine, the teacher sat at a desk and did work while her niece attempted the complicated change, it was no different on that day, she was working on an article for the most prestigious Transfiguration magazine when it happened, a harsh squawk broke the silence, the tip of her quill scratched across the parchment trailing ink before snapping, she cursed loudly and looked up.

 

The room was empty, or so she thought, Lily's wand lay abandoned, rocking slightly side to side, she almost didn't see it against the dark wood of the classroom's floor, a huge jet black Raven, it unfurled its wings and flapped them experimentally, another loud croak emitted from its beak as it took off and sped around the room, finally alighting on Hermione's shoulder.

 

“If you crap on my shoulder I'll put you in an enchanted cage, be warned!”

“Caw”

“I don't speak bird”

 

She held her hand up to her shoulder and the bird hopped on to it, she gently placed her other hand over her wings to prevent flight and examined her closely, there were a few harsh screeches of protest. Hermione cursed again, of all the poor luck, she really shouldn't have been surprised, there were no unique markings, apart from her large size, she looked just like any other Raven, and if that was the case there was no way of completing the registration.

She let her go and helped her back into the air, Lily flew around the room a few times and landed back in the centre of the room. They had prepared for this part, if she struggled to return back to herself within an hour, Hermione would use the Homorphus charm, she checked the clock and waited. It took fifty eight minutes before there was a very bedraggled young witch sprawled on the ground, she was sweaty and her hair was everywhere, a huge smile split her face.

 

After she had been subjected to the 'with great power, comes great responsibility' lecture, she was free to go, transformation was easy now that she'd achieved it one time. There was no feeling that compared with flying around the school grounds, she soared for hours over the forest, and found hidden clearings she doubted had ever been visited by another human, there was even a lake right in the heart of the forest, it had a bad aura about it and she didn't dwell there long.

Her favourite thing, was flying onto the window sill of the Transfiguration classroom, more often than not it was open, she would squeeze her way in and perch on a shelf at the back, the pupils had no idea it was her, but Hermione would spend the lesson sending dirty looks her way. The opportunity to score one over the young witch came after the class was dismissed, she hit the bird with the Homorphus charm, followed by a quick Arresto Momentum. She knelt beside her smirking.

 

“You can't keep disrupting my lessons, remember the enchanted cage I mentioned, it's not a threat, just ask Rita Skeeter”

“I was only visiting, class was almost over anyway, so let me down already”

 

With a heavy sigh she removed her spell.

 

“For what do I owe this pleasure?”

“As you're the head of my house, Professor, I'm obligated to submit my apparition test form and my final examination subject selection”

 

A sheaf of papers were thrust under her nose, she carefully shuffled through them.

 

“Divination? Really?”

“Why of course, one must have an open mind about such things”

“OK, you can stop taking the piss”

 

The young woman put on a good display of mock shock at her teacher's use of profanity, it was met with an equally dramatic eye roll.

 

“If I pass all of the exams, I will be the best”

“How do you figure that?”

“The only subject you didn't get a mark in was Divination” she finished with an air of satisfaction

 

The penny dropped and the gauntlet had been thrown down.

 

“It would be wise not to get too far ahead of yourself, N.E.W.T.s are not something to be taken lightly, I'm just hoping you make prefect and head girl, you'll be setting an example for the whole school, no more rule breaking for you”

 

She pulled an ugly face, much to the older woman's amusement.

 

Lily would never admit it to anyone, she was the queen of control, but her workload was immense, looking back, she had no idea how she hadn't completely lost the plot, her final years at Hogwarts passed at breakneck speed, even major landmarks were reduced to tiny blips by it all, she had passed her apparition exam with flying colours. Holidays were spent catching up on the work she hadn't managed to finish during term time, her parents couldn't have been more proud.

Before she knew it the final year was upon her, the workload increased even further, and then it was exam time, the atmosphere in the school was subdued, and as the examinations passed by, and the end became visible, she knew she had made it.

She was relaxing on the shore of the Black lake when her own owl came and landed on her chest, she opened her eyes and shielded them against the sun's glare with her hand, with a soft hoot she was directed to the note on his leg, she took it and unravelled it, the message was short 'Headmistress' office, Now!' with a heavy heart she picked herself up and trekked towards the castle.

 

When she finally reached the gargoyle and spoke the password, the trip up the spiral staircase felt like the longest journey, she was pretty certain she hadn't done anything, she couldn't think of a single thing. She sucked in a deep breath and knocked hard on the polished wooden door, it opened to reveal the Headmistress, her Mum and Dad, Hermione and Andromeda, they didn't look annoyed, that was probably a good sign, McGonagall's desktop was uncluttered for a change, except for a large brown envelope.

 

Narcissa crossed the small distance and pulled her into a hug, it felt like ages since she'd seen her daughter and when she had been home, she'd been terribly busy, Harry hugged her next and tousled her hair, he smiled at the disapproving look. Once everyone had finished hugging her she was stood in front of the desk. The large envelope was pushed across to her, puzzled she picked it up and broke the seal and removed the parchment from within. The silence in the room reached uncomfortable levels, Hermione cleared her throat and spoke.

 

“Don't keep us waiting, how have you done?”

“Not too bad.....for the brightest witch of my age, twelve 'O' grades beats your eleven”

“There is such a thing as a bad winner, you little brat”

 

There was no malice in her words as she pulled her into a hug. They promised her that the celebrations would continue back at home. She surprised them all when she told them that she had no intention of leaving school early, she wanted to see out the term and would meet them off the train as normal.

She spent the last week doing many things for the last time, she walked the halls, visited Hogsmeade to spend the last of her pocket money, she wandered the grounds and flew over them, she even managed to coerce a few students, and teachers to have one last game of quidditch. Then the week was over, she had sat on her bed in Gryffindor tower, her trunk had already been taken down to the station, she would miss this place, maybe she'd come back one day, she hadn't thought too hard about the future.

The castle gates slipped out of view as the thestral drawn carriages lumbered down the lane towards the train station, the scarlet engine looked magnificent as always, with a last look around and with a feeling that could only be described as bittersweet, she said farewell and boarded the train.


End file.
